I*, 


J.  E.  COLBY, 
Attorney  at  Law, 
957  Broadway,  Room 
Oakland,  Gal. 


SEPTEMBER,    1866. 

A  LIST  OF  BOOKS 


PUBLISHED   BY 


LITTLE,  BROWN  AND  COMPANY, 

LAW  AND  FOREIGN  BOOKSELLERS, 
BOSTON. 


Adams's   Life   and   Works. 

THE   LIFE   AND  WORKS   OF  JOHN  ADAMS,   Second  Presi- 

dent  of  the  United  States.  Edited  by  his  Grandson,  CHARLES  FRANCIS  ADAMS. 
10  vols.  8vo,  cloth,  $22.50. 

American   Loyalists. 

THE  AMERICAN  LOYALISTS;  or,  Biographical  Sketches  of 
Adherents  to  the  British  Crown  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  alphabetically  ar 
ranged;  with  a  Preliminary  Historical  Essay.  By  LORENZO  SABINE.  1  vol.  8vo, 
cloth,  $2.75. 

Ames's   Life   and   Works. 

THE  WORKS  OF  FISHER  AMES;  with  a  Selection  from  his 
Speeches  and  Correspondence.  Edited  by  his  Son,  SETH  AMES.  2  vols.  8vo,  with 
portrait.  Cloth,  $4.50. 

Bacon's   Essays. 

THE   ESSAYS :  or,  Counsels,  Civil  and  Moral :  and  the  Wisdom  of 

the  Ancients.  By  FRANCIS  BACON,  Baron  of  Verulam,  Viscount  of  St.  Albans,  and 
Lord  High  Chancellor  of  England.  With  a  Biographical  Notice  by  A.  Spiers,  Ph. 
D.;  Preface  by  B.  Montagu,  Esq.;  and  Notes  by  different  Writers.  1  voL  16ino, 
cloth,  75  cents. 

Bancroft's   History. 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  from  the  Discovery 

of  the  American  Continent  By  GEORGE  BANCROFT.  With  Portraits,  Maps,  etc. 
6  vols.  8vo,  cloth. 

Bowen's  American  Political   Economy. 
THE    PRINCIPLES  OF  POLITICAL    ECONOMY,   applied   to 

the  Condition,  the  Resources,  and  the  Institutions  of  the  American  People.  By 
FRANCIS  BOWEN,  Alford  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  and  Civil  Polity  in  Harvard 
College.  8vo,  cloth,  $2.25. 


.u 


.  B.  COLBY. 
Attorney  at  Law, 
957  Broadway,  R°°m  10 
Oakland,  Cal • 


SEPTEMBER,    1866. 

A  LIST  OF  BOOKS 


PUBLISHED   BY 


LITTLE,  BROWN  AND  COMPANY, 

LAW  AND  FOREIGN  BOOKSELLERS, 
BOSTON. 


Adams's   Life   and   Works. 

THE  LIFE  AND  WORKS  OF  JOHN  ADAMS,  Second  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States.  Edited  by  his  Grandson,  CHARLES  FRANCIS  ADAMS. 
10  vols.  8vo,  cloth,  $22.50. 

American   Loyalists. 

THE  AMERICAN  LOYALISTS;  or,  Biographical  Sketches  of 
Adherents  to  the  British  Crown  in  the  War  of  the  Eevolution,  alphabetically  ar 
ranged;  with  a  Preliminary  Historical  Essay.  By  LORENZO  SABINE.  1  vol.  8vo, 
cloth,  $2.75. 

Ames's   Life   and   Works. 

THE  WORKS   OF   FISHER  AMES;  with  a  Selection  from  his 

Speeches  and  Correspondence.  Edited  by  his  Son,  SETH  AMES.  2  vols.  8vo,  with 
portrait.  Cloth,  $4.50. 

Bacon's   Essays. 

THE   ESSAYS :  or,  Counsels,  Civil  and  Moral :  and  the  Wisdom  of 

the  Ancients.  By  FRANCIS  BACON,  Baron  of  Verulam,  Viscount  of  St.  Albans,  and 
Lord  High  Chancellor  of  England.  With  a  Biographical  Notice  by  A.  Spiers,  Ph. 
D.;  Preface  by  B.  Montagu,  Esq.;  and  Notes  by  different  Writers.  1  voL  16ino, 
cloth,  76  cents. 

Bancroft's   History. 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  from  the  Discovery 
of  the  American  Continent.  By  GEORGE  BANCROFT.  With  Portraits,  Maps,  etc. 
6  vols.  8vo,  cloth. 

Bowen's   American   Political   Economy. 
THE    PRINCIPLES  OF  POLITICAL    ECONOMY,   applied   to 

the  Condition,  the  Resources,  and  the  Institutions  of  the  American  People.  By 
FRANCIS  BOWEN,  Alford  Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  and  Civil  Polity  in  Harvard 
College.  8vo,  cloth,  $2.25. 


2          A  LIST  OF  BOOKS   PUBLISHED   BY  LITTLE,   BROWN   &   CO. 


British   Poets. 

BRITISH  POETS.  A  Complete  Collection  of  the  British  Poets, 
from  Chaucer  to  Wordsworth;  embracing  the  whole  Works  of  the  most  distinguished 
Authors  with  Selections  from  the  Minor  Poets;  accompanied  with  Biographical, 
Historical,  and  Critical  Notices.  Edited  by  F.  J.  CHILD,  Professor  of  Rhetoric  and 
Oratory  in  Harvard  College.  75  cents  per  volume,  i 

The  following  volumes  are  now  ready:  — 


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RKATTIE 1vol. 

BUTLER     ....    2  vols. 
CAMIMSKLL  ....  1  vol. 
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COLKKIPGE      ...  8  vols. 
COLLINS     ....    1  vol. 

COWPER 3  vols. 

DONNE 1  vol. 

DUYDEN 6  VOlS. 

FALCONER     ...    1  vol. 
GAY 2  vols. 


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GRAY 1vol. 

HERBERT    ....  1  vol. 
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HOOD 4  vols. 

KEATS 1  vol. 

MILTON 3  vols. 

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POPE 3  vols. 

PRIOR 2  vols. 

SHAKESPEARE   .    .    1  vol. 


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SKELTON  ....  3  vols. 
SPENSER  ....  6  vols. 
SURREY  ....  1  vol. 

SWIFT 3  vols. 

THOMSON  ....  2  vols. 
VAUGHAN  ....  1  vol. 

WATTS 1  vol. 

WHITE 1  vol. 

WORDSWORTH   .    .    7  vols. 

WYATT 1  vol. 

YOUNG 2  vols. 


British   Essayists. 

THE  BRITISH  ESSAYISTS.     With  Prefaces,  Historical  and  Bio 
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THE  TATLER 4  vols. 

8  vols. 
.  3  vols. 

8  vols. 
.  3  vols. 

3  vols. 
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THE  LOOKER-ON 
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2  vols. 

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THE   HISTORY  OF  THE  INGENIOUS  GENTLEMAN,  DON 

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Everett's   Orations   and   Speeches. 
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Frothingham's    Siege    of  Boston, 
l  HISTORY  OF  THE  SIEGE  OF  BOSTON,  and  of  the  Battles  of 

Lexington,  Concord,  and  Bunker  Hill.  Also  an  Account  of  the  Bunker  Hill  Monu 
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Homer's   Life   and   Correspondence. 
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Norton's   Writings. 
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Sparks's   Writings   of  Washington. 

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Sparks's   American  Biography. 
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Story's   Life. 

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Story's   Miscellaneous   Works. 
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Webster's   Life   and   Works. 

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Winthrop's   Speeches   and   Addresses. 

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Winthrop's   History   of   New   England. 

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Miss   Goodnch  r.ow  in  the  possession  of 


THE 


PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE 


OF 


DANIEL    WEBSTER 


EDITED  BY 

FLETCHER     WEBSTER 


IN    TWO    VOLUMES. 
VOLUME   I. 


BOSTON: 
LITTLE,    BROW-N    AND    COMPANY. 

1857. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1856,  by 

FLETCHER  WEBSTER, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


RIVERSIDE,  CAMBRIDGE; 

STEREOTYPED  AND  PRINTED   BY 

H.  O.  HOCGHTON  AND  COMPANY. 


°F 
iA  BARBARA  COLLEGE  LIBIIAIT 


DEDICATION. 


I  DEDICATE  these  volumes  of  the  Private  Correspondence  of  DANIEL 
WEBSTER  to  the  memory  of  his  Wife  and  the  Mother  of  his  children, 

GRACE    FLETCHER    WEBSTER. 

I  desire,  as  far  as  possible,  to  associate  her  name  with  that  of  him  whose  early 
fortunes  she  shared,  whose  early  labors  she  cheered,  whose  character  she  appre 
ciated,  whose  distinguished  position  she  adorned,  and  on  whose  lips,  amid  their 
last  utterances,  hung  her  beloved  name. 

FLETCHER  WEBSTER. 


PREFACE. 


FOUR  years  have  now  elapsed  since  the  death  of  Mr. 
Webster,  on  the  24th  day  of  October,  1852.  The  literary 
executors  appointed  by  his  will,  and  the  Editor  of  these 
volumes,  some  time  after  that  event,  made  application,  by 
public  notice  and  private  address,  to  his  correspondents  in 
this  country  and  Europe  for  copies  of  his  letters.  That  appli 
cation  was  generally  answered. 

Within  a  year  a  considerable  collection  of  letters  was  made. 
The  numerous  manuscripts  in  Mr.  Webster's  possession  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  were,  when  collected  and  cursorily  examined, 
placed  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  William  Thaddeus  Harris,  of  Cam 
bridge,  to  be  assorted,  and,  as  far  as  their  nature  admitted, 
alphabetically  arranged. 

Mr.  Harris  undertook  this  task  with  zeal,  but,  after  a  year  of 
assiduous  and  methodical  toil,  it  was  interrupted  by  his  lamented 
death,  leaving  its  completion  to  other  hands. 

In  1854,  the  Editor  commenced  the  examination  and  arra.nge- 
ment  of  such  letters  as  were  in  his  own  possession;  and  in 
1855,  he  received  from  the  literary  executors  the  copies  of 
the  letters  forwarded  in  compliance  with  the  application  above 
alluded  to,  made  with  great  labor  and  accuracy  by  George 
Ticknor,  Esq.,  and  the  ladies  of  his  family,  and  forming  a 
very  important  and  interesting  portion  of  the  contents  of 
these  volumes. 


vi  PREFACE. 

In  preparing  the  correspondence  for  the  press,  from  all  these 
materials,  the  chief  difficulty  has  arisen  from  the  necessity  of 
exercising  a  severe  judgment  in  making  selections. 

Every  letter  of  Mr.  Webster  had  in  it  something  instruc 
tive,  entertaining,  or  characteristic,  which  caused  its  omission 
to  be  doubtfully  and  reluctantly  decided  upon,  though  such  a 
result  was  repeatedly  unavoidable,  in  order  not  to  swell  the 
volumes  to  an  inconvenient  size,  or  too  much  increase  their 
number. 

The  same  consideration  caused  the  omission  also  frojn  the 
present  work  of  his  early  productions  in  prose  and  verse,  his 
occasional  contributions  to  periodicals,  political  essays,  and 
those  of  his  speeches,  early  and  late,  not  contained  in  Mr. 
Everett's  edition,  all  of  which  had  been  collected  and  prepared 
for  publication. 

The  general  events  of  Mr.  Webster's  life  are  sufficiently  well 
known  from  the  Biographical  Sketch  by  Mr.  Everett,  prefixed 
to  his  edition  of  "  The  Works  of  Daniel  Webster,"  and  from 
the  political  history  of  the  country  for  the  last  half  century. 

No  complete  and  impartial  biography  of  him  can  be  written 
until  after  such  a  lapse  of  time  as  shall  render  possible  an 
unbiased  consideration  of  his  public  acts,  and  a  fair  judgment 
upon  the  political  sentiments  which  he  entertained. 

These  volumes  may  prove  of  value  as  a  collection  of  ma 
terials  for  the  composition  of  such  a  work  ;  and  it  is  hoped  that 
they  will  not  be  without  interest  to  the  general  reader  as  afford 
ing  a  view  of  Mr.  Webster's  private  character,  his  habits  of 
intercourse,  modes  of  thought,  affections,  tastes,  pursuits, 
amusements,  and  style  of  familiar  correspondence.  To  give  a 
just  presentation  of  these  characteristics,  has  been  the  object  of 
the  Editor. 

Expressions  of  political  opinion,  of  course,  not  unfrequently 
occur  in  his  letters,  but  it  is  hoped  that  none  may  be  found 
calculated  to  injure  the  feelings  of  the  living  or  detract  from  the 
just  reputation  of  the  dead. 


PREFACE.  vii 

It  would  have  been  difficult,  indeed,  to  have  selected  such 
passages,  if  it  had  been  desirable. 

His  letters  are  distinguished  by  an  absence  of  harsh  epithets, 
or  denunciatory  remarks,  and  none  of  them  need  be  withheld 
from  the  public  out  of  consideration  to  the  writer.  He  often 
observed,  that  he  had  made  it  a  rule  through  life,  to  write 
nothing  which  he  would  not  be  willing  to  see  in  print  the  next 
morning,  and  a  thorough  examination  of  his  letters  has  shown 
how  rigidly  he  adhered  to  it. 

The  reader  will  remark  that  there  are  occasional  long  inter 
vals  of  time  between  the  dates  of  some  of  the  letters,  and  of 
those  which  immediately  succeed  them.  This  arises  partly 
from  the  necessity  of  selection,  and  partly  from  the  inability  to 
obtain  letters  which  may  have  been  written  during  these 
periods.  There  are  numerous  letters  in  existence  from  Mrs. 
Grace  Webster,  his  wife,  acknowledging  letters  from  him. 
Two  or  three  only  of  these  last  can  be  found. 

Mrs.  Julia  Webster  Appleton,  his  daughter,  shortly  before  her 
death,  destroyed  all  letters  addressed  to  her,  which  were  in  her 
possession.  A  few  left  in  the  hands  of  friends,  have  been 
preserved. 

The  volumes  contain  some  letters  addressed  to  Mr.  Webster. 
These  are  chiefly  from  his  brother  and  early  friends  and  rela 
tives  ;  from  distinguished  contemporaries,  with  whom  he  was 
intimate ;  from  occasional  foreign  correspondents  of  eminence, 
or  from  those  illustrious  men,  long  since  become  historical  per 
sonages,  whose  letters  form  connecting  links  between  the  late 
and  preceding  generations. 

The  Editor  would  do  injustice  to  others  as  well  as  to  his 
own  feelings,  if  he  should  fail  to  acknowledge  his  indebted 
ness  to  many  friends,  for  their  aid  in  the  preparation  of'  these 
volumes. 

To  Mr.  Everett,  he  is  especially  obliged,  for  an  unvarying 
kindness  from  the  commencement  of  the  undertaking  to  its 
completion;  for  advice  and  suggestions,  which  his  general 


viii  PREFACE. 

acquaintance  with  public  men  and  knowledge  of  public  events, 
his  long  intimacy  with  Mr.  Webster,  his  matured  judgment 
and  cultivated  taste,  rendered  invaluable. 

Professor  Sa'nborn  of  Dartmouth  College,  has  a  large  and 
admitted  claim  upon  the  Editor's  gratitude,  for  interesting 
materials  supplied  by  him,  for  his  own  contributions,  and  for 
his  vigorous  aid  throughout  a  whole  winter  in  the  arrangement 
of  the  papers. 

The  letters  to  Mr.  Fillmore,  written  by  Mr.  Webster,  as 
Secretary  of  State,  were  copied  from  the  originals,  with  Mr. 
Fillmore's  permission,  by  Mr.  G.  J.  Abbot,  of  the  State  De 
partment,  a  gentleman  who  stood  in  confidential  relations  to 
Mr.  Webster,  and  for  whom  he  entertained  a  high  regard. 

To  Mrs.  Eliza  Buckminster  Lee  the  Editor  is  under  a 
peculiar  obligation,  for  the  use  of  the  "  Autobiography ; "  a 
favor,  he  is  aware,  which  would  have  been  granted  to  no  one 
but  himself,  and  also  for  the  sketch  of  the  character  of  Mrs. 
Grace  Webster,  his  mother. 

To  Mrs.  Fletcher  Webster,  his  wife,  for  her  constant  and 
-cheerful  encouragement,  her  ever  ready  and  grateful  assistance, 
he  wishes  to  express  his  affectionate  thanks  ;  and  to  those  lady 
relatives  and  friends,  who  have  either  furnished  interesting 
materials  or  lightened  and  lessened  his  labors  in  their  prepara 
tion,  he  offers  his  heartfelt  acknowledgments. 

FLETCHER  WEBSTER. 

MARSHFIELD,  October  24,  1856. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


VOL.    I. 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE. 


THE  following  Autobiography  was  written  for  Mrs.  Eliza  Buckminster  Lee, 
and  presented  to  her  by  Mr.  Webster.  It  was  written  in  1829,  though  it  extends 
only  to  1817. 

A  few  of  the  facts  which  it  contains  have  been  made  public,  or  generally 
stated,  on  some  occasions  by  Mr.  Webster  himself;  but  the  manuscript  has  never 
been  out  of  Mrs.  Lee's  control,  nor  been  permitted  to  be  used  for  any  purpose 
other  than  a  perusal  by  some  particular  friends. 

On  learning  my  purpose  of  preparing  my  father's  correspondence  for  publica 
tion,  Mrs.  Lee,  with  impressive  kindness,  offered  me  this  manuscript. 

The  amount  of  my  indebtedness  to  her  for  this  favor  will  be  best  estimated 
after  the  Autobiography  has  been  read. 

No  change  has  been  made  in  it  except  the  omission  of  two  quotations  from 
Mr.  Webster's  DIARY,  which,  as  the  Diary  itself  is  published  in  these  volumes, 
are  left  out,  to  avoid  repetition. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 


MY  earliest  ancestor  of  whom  I  possess  at  present  any 
knowledge,  was  Thomas  Webster.  He  was  settled  in  Hamp 
ton,  New  Hampshire,  as  early  as  1636,  probably  having  come 
thither  from  or  through  Massachusetts,  though  he  may  have 
come  by  way  of  Piscataqua.  From  him  to  myself  the  descent 
may  be  found  regularly  recorded  in  the  church  records  and 
town  records  of  Hampton,  Kingston,  now  East  Kingston,  and 
Salisbury. 

The  family  is,  no  doubt,  originally  from  Scotland,  although  I 
have  not  been  able  to  learn  how  far  back  any  Scotch  accent 
was  found  lingering  on  our  tongue.  Probably  enough,  the 
emigrants  may  have  come  last  from  England.  The  character 
istics  of  the  personal  appearance  of  the  "Websters  are  pretty 
strongly  marked,  and  very  generally  found  with  all  who  bear  the 
name  in  New  England.  They  have  light  complexions,  sandy 
hah*,  a  good  deal  of  it,  and  bushy  eyebrows;  and  are  rather 
slender  than  broad  or  corpulent. 

Dr.  Noah  Webster,  the  author  of  the  Dictionary,  is  a  vera 
effigies  of  the  race.  Rev.  Mr.  Webster,  now  of  Hampton,  the 
large  family  in  the  county  of  Grafton,  and  the  various  remnants 
of  the  old  stock  still  to  be  found  in  Kingston  and  its  neighbor 
hood,  bear  the  same  general  appearance. 

My  uncles  were  formed  and  marked  in  the  same  manner. 
No  two  persons  looked  more  unlike  than  my  father  and  either 
of  his  brothers.  His  mother  was  a  Bachelder,  a  descendant  of 
the  Rev.  Stephen  Bachelder,  a  man  of  some  notoriety,  in  his 
time,  in  the  county  of  Rockingham.  This  woman  had  black 
hair,  and  black  eyes,  and  was,  besides,  as  my  father,  who  was 


4  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

her  eldest  son,  has  told  me,  a  person  of  uncommon  strength  of 
character.  I  learn  the  same  thing  from  the  elderly  inhabitants 
of  Kingston.  My  father  resembled,  in  complexion  and  appear 
ance,  his  mother ;  his  brothers  resembled  their  father.  Of  my 
own  brothers,  only  one  had  the  Bachelder  complexion;  the 
others,  three,  ran  off  into  the  general  characteristics  belonging 
to  the  name. 

My  first  clear  and  distinct  recollection  of  my  father's  appear 
ance  was,  when  he  was  at  the  age  of  fifty.  I  think  it  was 
rather  striking ;  he  was  tall,  six  feet,  or  six  feet  within  a  half  an 
inch,  erect,  with  a  broad  and  full  chest,  hair  still  of  an  un 
changed  black,  features  rather  large  and  prominent,  a  Roman 
nose,  and  eyes  of  brilliant  black.  He  had  a  decisive  air 
and  bearing,  partly  the  effect,  I  suppose,  of  early  soldiership. 
My  late  brother,  at  the  moment  of  his  decease,  was  nearly  of 
the  same  age,  and  most  strongly  resembled  him ;  except  that  his 
hair  had  turned  white ;  his  eyes  were  larger,  and  not  quite  so 
black,  and  his  mouth  and  teeth  hardly  as  perfect.  In  subsequent 
periods,  my  father  suffered  much  ill  health  from  rheumatism, 
and  other  complaints,  which  a  good  deal  changed  his  appear 
ance.  He  was  born  at  Kingston,  now  East  Kingston,  in  1739 ; 
the  eldest  son  of  Ebenezer  Webster  and  Susannah  Bachelder. 
His  father  was  a  farmer,  as  we  somewhat  improperly  call  per 
sons  of  his  condition ;  that  is  to  say,  he  was  a  small  freeholder, 
tilling  his  own  acres  with  his  own  hands,  and  those  of  his  boys, 
till  they  grew  up  to  manhood,  when  they  were  to  look  out,  in 
the  country  round  them,  for  acres  of  their  own  to  till. 

After  the  age  of  twelve  or  fifteen,  he  lived  several  years 
in  the  family  of  Colonel  Stevens,  the  most  considerable  person 
in  the  vicinity;  and  then,  as  Major  Dalgetty  would  say,  he  took 
service  in  the  troops  raised  in  the  Pro'vinces  to  carry  on  the 
French  war.  His  first  engagement,  I  believe,  was  in  Robert 
Rogers's  company  of  Rangers.  He  was  with  the  army  of  Gen. 
Amherst,  when  that  commander  made  his  way  by  Albany,  Os- 
wego,  Ticonderoga,  &c.,  into  Canada.  When  Canada  was  con 
quered,  his  occupation  was  gone ;  but  that  event  opened  new 
scenes  of  enterprise,  more  pacific,  but  promising  more  permanent 
good,  to  those  who  had  strong  hands  and  determined  purpose. 

Previous  to  the  year  1763,  the  settlements  in  New  Hampshire 
had  made  little  or  no  progress  inward  into  the  country,  for  sixty 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  5 

or  seventy  years,  owing  to  the  hostility  of  the  French,  in  Can 
ada,  and  of  the  neighboring  Indians,  who  were  under  French 
influences.  This  powerful  cause  of  repression  being  effectually 
removed  by  the  cession  of  Canada  to  England,  by  the  Peace  of 
Paris  in  1763,  companies  were  formed,  in  various  parts  of  New 
England,  to  settle  the  wilderness,  between  the  already  settled 
parts  of  New  England  and  New  York  and  Canada.  Colonel 
Stevens,  already  mentioned,  and  other  persons  about  Kingston, 
formed  one  of  these  companies,  and  obtained  from  Benning 
Wentworth,  Governor  of  the  Province  of  New  Hampshire,  a 
grant  of  the  township  of  Salisbury,  at  first  called  Stevenstown. 
It  is  situated  exactly  at  the  head  of  the  Merrimac  River,  and 
very  near  the  centre  of  the  State.  My  father  joined  this  enter 
prise,  and  about  1764,  the  exact  date  is  not  before  me,  pushed 
into  the  wilderness.  He  had  the  discretion  to  take  a  wife  along 
with  him,  intending  whatever  else  he  might  want,  at  least,  not 
to  lack  good  company.  The  party  travelled  out  the  road,  or 
path,  for  it  was  no  better,  somewhere  about  Concord  or  Bos- 
cawen ;  and  they  were  obliged  to  make  their  way,  not  finding 
one,  to  their  destined  places  of  habitation.  My  father  lapped  on, 
a  little  beyond  any  other  comer,  and  when  he  had  built  his  log 
cabin,  and  lighted  his  fire,  his  smoke  ascended  nearer  to  the 
North  Star  than  that  of  any  other  of  his  Majesty's  New  Eng 
land  subjects.  His  nearest  civilized  neighbor  on  the  north,  was 
at  Montreal. 

His  story  of  this  early  settlement  was  interesting,  at  least,  to 
me.  The  settlers,  doubtless,  suffered  much.  The  mountainous 
nature  of  the  country,  the  very  long  winters,  with  prodigious 
depth  of  snow,  and  the  want  of  ah1  roads  to  communicate  with 
the  country  below,  often  induced  great  hardships.  The  settle 
ment  increased,  and  when  the  revolutionary  war  broke  out,  ten 
or  eleven  years  after,  the  town  contained  nearly  two  hundred 
men  capable  of  bearing  arms.  My  father  was  their  Captain, 
and  he  led  them  forth,  with  the  other  New  Hampshire  troops, 
almost  every  campaign.  He  commanded  a  company  at  Ben- 
nington,  at  White  Plains,  at  West  Point,  at  the  time  of  Arnold's 
defection,  &c.  I  have  some  little  articles,  the  spolia  prodii  of 
Bennington,  which  I  keep,  honore  parentis. 

The  last  time  I  ever  saw  Gen.  Stark,  he  paid  me  the  compli 
ment  of  saying,  that  my  complexion  was  like  that  of  my  father, 

1* 


6  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

and  that  his  was  of  that  cast,  so  convenient  for  a  soldier,  that 
burnt  gunpowder  did  not  change  it. 

I  was  born  January  18,  1782.  My  father,  by  two  marriages, 
had  five  sons  and  five  daughters.  I  am  the  youngest  son,  and 
only  surviving  child.  I  have  nephews  and  nieces,  both  of  the 
whole  and  half  blood ;  that  is  to  say,  sons  and  daughters  of  my 
brothers  and  sisters,  of  both  my  father's  wives. 

The  year  following  my  birth,  my  father  removed  from  his 
first  residence,  which  was  a  log  house  on  the  hill,  to  the  river 
side,  in  the  same  town  ;  a  distance  of  three  miles.  Here,  in  the 
meadow  land,  by  the  river,  with  rough  high  hills  hanging  over, 
was  the  scene  of  my  earliest  recollections ;  or,  as  was  said  in 
another  case,  "  Here  I  found  myself."  I  can  recoUect  when  it 
was  1790  ;  but  cannot  say  that  I  can  remember  further  back.  I 
have  a  very  vivid  impression,  indeed,  of  something  which  took 
place  some  years  earlier,  especially,  of  an  extraordinary  rise  in 
the  river.  I  remember  how  the  deluge  of  rain  beat,  for  two 
days,  on  the  house ;  how  all  looked  anxiously  to  see  the  river 
overflow  its  banks,  how  the  waters  spread  over  the  meadows, 
how  the  boat  coming  from  afar,  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
was  rowed  up  till  it  almost  touched  the  door-stone.  How  Mr. 
G.'s  great  barn,  fifty  feet  by  twenty,  full  of  hay  and  grain,  sheep, 
turkeys,  and  chickens,  sailed  down  the  current  majestically 
before  our  eyes,  and  how  we  were  all  busy  preparing  to  fly  to 
the  mountains,  as  soon  as  our  house  should  manifest  a  disposi 
tion  to  follow  Mr.  G.'s  barn.  I  remember,  or  seem  to  remember 
all  these  things ;  I  did  indeed  see  as  much  of  them  as  a  child  of 
five  years  could  see,  for  I  think  it  was  in  1787,  but  still  I  am 
of  opinion  that  my  impression  is  from  narrative,  and  not  from 
remembrance  of  the  vision.  Plain,  intelligible,  and  striking 
things  of  this  kind,  I  have  learned,  make  an  impression  on 
young  minds  in  recital,  which  it  is  difficult  afterwards  to  dis 
tinguish  from  actual  personal  recollection. 

I  do  not  remember  when  or  by  whom  I  was  taught  to  read ; 
because  I  cannot  and  never  could  recollect  a  time  when  I  could 
not  read  the  Bible.  I  suppose  I  was  taught  by  my  mother,  or 
by  my  elder  sisters.  My  father  seemed  to  have  no  higher  object 
in  the  world,  than  to  educate  his  children,  to  the  full  extent  of 
his  very  limited  ability.  No  means  were  within  his  reach,  gen 
erally  speaking,  but  the  small  town  schools.  These  were  kept 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  7 

by  teachers,  sufficiently  indifferent,  in  the  several  neighborhoods 
of  the  township,  each  a  small  part  of  the  year.  To  these  I  was 
sent,  with  the  other  children. 

When  the  school  was  in  our  neighborhood,  it  was  easy  to 
attend ;  when  it  removed  to  a  more  distant  district  I  followed 
it,  still  living  at  home.  While  yet  quite  young,  and  in  winter, 
I  was  sent  daily  two  and  a  half  or  three  miles  to  the  school. 
When  it  removed  still  further,  my  father  sometimes  boarded  me 
out,  in  a  neighboring  family,  so  that  I  could  still  be  in  the 
school.  A  good  deal  of  this  was  an  extra  care,  more  than  had 
been  bestowed  on  my  elder  brothers,  and  originating  in  a  con 
viction  of  the  slenderness  and  frailty  of  my  constitution,  which 
was  thought  not  likely  ever  to  allow  me  to  pursue  robust  occu 
pation. 

In  these  schools,  nothing  was  taught  but  reading  and  writing ; 
and,  as  to  these,  the  first  I  generally  could  perform  better  than 
the  teacher,  and  the  last  a  good  master  could  hardly  instruct  me 
in ;  writing  was  so  laborious,  irksome,  and  repulsive  an  occupa 
tion  to  me  always.  My  masters  used  to  tell  me,  that  they 
feared,  after  all,  my  fingers  were  destined  for  the  plough-tail. 

I  must  do  myself  the  justice  to  say  that,  in  those  boyish  days, 
there  were  two  things  I  did  dearly  love,  viz :  reading  and  play 
ing  ;  passions  which  did  not  cease  to  struggle,  when  boyhood 
was  over,  (have  they  yet,  altogether  ?)  and  in  regard  to  which 
neither  the  cita  mors  nor  the  victoria  Icda  could  be  said  of  either. 

At  a  very  early  day,  owing  I  believe  mainly  to  the  exertions 
of  Mr.  Thompson,  the  lawyer,  the  clergyman,  and  my  father,  a 
very  small  circulating  library  had  been  bought.  These  institu 
tions,  I  believe,  about  that  time  received  an  impulse,  among 
other  causes,  from  the  efforts  of  Dr.  Belknap,  our  New  Hamp 
shire  historian.  I  obtained  some  of  these  books,  and  read  them. 
I  remember  the  Spectator  among  them ;  and  I  remember,  too, 
that  I  turned  over  the  leaves  of  Addison's  criticism  on  Chevy 
Chase,  for  the  sake  of  reading  connectedly  the  song,  the  verses 
of  which  he  quotes  from  time  to  time  as  subjects  of  remark.  It 
was,  as  Doctor  Johnson  said  in  another  case,  that  the  poet  was 
read  and  the  critic  was  neglected.  I  could  not  understand  why 
it  was  necessary  that  the  author  of  the  Spectator  should  take 
such  great  pains  to  prove  that  Chevy  Chase  was  a  good  story ; 
that  was  the  last  thing  I  doubted. 


8  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

I  was  fond  of  poetry.  By  far  the  greater  part  of  Dr.  Watty's 
Psalms  and  Hymns  I  could  repeat  memoriter,  at  ten  or  twelve 
years  of  age.  I  am  sure  that  no  other  sacred  poetry  will  ever 
appear  to  me  so  affecting  and  devout. 

I  remember  that  my  father  brought  home  from  some  of  the 
lower  towns  Pope's  Essay  on  Man,  published  in  a  sort  of 
pamphlet.  I  took  it,  and  very  soon  could  repeat  it,  from  begin 
ning  to  end.  We  had  so  few  books  that  to  read  them  once  or 
twice  was  nothing.  We  thought  they  were  all  to  be  got  by 
heart.  I  have  thought  of  this  frequently  since,  when  that  saga 
cious  admonition  of  one  of  the  ancients  (was  it  Pliny  ?)  has 
been  quoted,  legere  multum  non  multa. 

I  remember  one  occurrence,  that  shows  the  value  then  attached 
to  books.  The  close  of  the  year  had  brought  along  the  next 
year's  almanac.  This  was  an  acquisition.  A  page  was  devoted 
to  each  month,  and  on  the  top  of  each  page  were  four  lines  of 
poetry;  some  moral,  some  sentimental,  some  ludicrous.  The 
almanac  came  in  the  morning,  and  before  night  my  brother  and 
myself  were  masters  of  its  contents,  at  least  of  its  poetry  and  its 
anecdotes.  We  went  to  bed  upon  it ;  but  awaking  long  before 
the  morning  light,  we  had  a  difference  of  recollection  about  one 
word,  in  the  third  line  of  April's  poetry.  We  could  not  settle  it 
by  argument  and  there  was  no  umpire.  But  the  fact  could  be 
ascertained  by  inspection  of  the  book.  I  arose,  groped  my  way 
to  the  kitchen,  lighted  a  candle,  proceeded  to  a  distant  room,  in 
search  of  the  almanac,  found  it,  and  brought  it  away.  The  dis 
puted  passage  was  examined,  I  believe  I  was  found  to  be  in  the 
wrong,  and  blew  out  my  candle  and  went  to  bed.  But  the 
consequence  of  my  error  had  wellnigh  been  serious.  It  was 
about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  just  as  I  was  again  going 
to  sleep,  I  thought  I  saw  signs  of  light  in  the  room  I  had 
visited.  I  sprang  out  of  bed,  ran  to  the  door,  opened  the  room, 
and  it  was  all  on  fire.  I  had  let  fall  a  spark,  or  touched  the 
light  to  something  which  had  communicated  fire  to  a  parcel  of 
cotton  clothes,  they  had  communicated  it  to  the  furniture,  and 
to  the  sides  of  the  room,  and  the  flames  had  already  begun  to 
show  themselves  through  the  ceiling,  in  the  chamber  above.  A 
pretty  earnest  cry  soon  brought  the  household  together.  By 
great  good  luck  we  escaped.  Two  or  three  minutes  more  and 
we  should  all  have  been  in  danger  of  burning  together.  As  it 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  9 

was,  I  think  the  house  was  saved  by  my  father's  presence  of 
mind.  While  others  went  for  water,  he  seized  every  thing 
movable  which  was  on  fire,  and  wrapped  it  up  in  woollen 
blankets.  My  maternal  grandmother,  then  of  the  age  of  eighty, 
was  sleeping  in  the  room. 

I  recollect  no  great  changes  happening  to  me  till  I  was  four 
teen  years  old.  A  great  deal  of  the  time  I  was  sick,  and  when 
well  was  exceedingly  slender,  and  apparently  of  feeble  system. 
I  read  what  I  could  get  to  read,  went  to  school  when  I  could ; 
and  when  not  at  school,  was  a  farmer's  youngest  boy,  not  good 
for  much,  for  want  of  health  and  strength,  but  was  expected  to 
do  something.  Up  to  this  period,  I  had  no  hope  of  any  educa 
tion  beyond  what  the  village  school-house  was  to  afford.  But 
now  my  father  took  an  important  step  with  me.  On  the  25th 
day  of  May,  1796,  he  mounted  his  horse,  placed  me  on  another, 
carried  me  to  Exeter,  and  placed  me  in  Phillips  Academy,  then 
and  now  under  the  care  of  that  most  excellent  man,  DR.  BEN 
JAMIN  ABBOTT.  I  had  never  been  from  home  before,  and  the 
change  overpowered  me.  I  hardly  remained  master  of  my  own 
senses,  among  ninety  boys,  who  had  seen  so  much  more,  and 
appeared  to  know  so  much  more  than  I  did.  I  was  put  to 
English  grammar,  and  writing,  and  arithmetic.  The  first,  I 
think  I  may  say,  I  fairly  mastered  between  May  and  October ; 
in  the  others  I  made  some  progress.  In  the  autumn,  there  was  a 
short  vacation.  I  went  home,  stayed  a  few  days,  and  returned 
at  the  commencement  of  the  quarter,  and  then  began  the  Latin 
grammar.  My  first  exercises  in  Latin  were  recited  to  Joseph 
Stevens  Buckminster.  He  had,  I  think,  already  joined  college, 
but  had  returned  to  Exeter,  perhaps  in  the  college  vacation,  and 
was  acting  as  usher,  in  the  place  of  Dr.  Abbott,  then  absent 
through  indisposition. 

It  so  happened,  that  within  the  few  months  during  which  I 
was  at  the  Exeter  Academy,  Mr.  Thacher,  now  judge  of  the 
Municipal  Court  of  Boston,  and  Mr.  Emery,  the  distinguished 
counsellor  at  Portland,  were  my  instructors.  I  am  proud  to  call 
them  both  masters.  I  believe  I  made  tolerable  progress  in  most 
branches  which  I  attended  to,  while  in  this  school ;  but  there 
was  one  thing  I  could  not  do.  I  could  not  make  a  declamation. 
I  could  not  speak  before  the  school.  The  kind  and  excellent 
Buckminster  sought,  especially,  to  persuade  me  to  perform  the 


10  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

exercise  of  declamation,  like  other  boys ;  but  I  could  not  do  it. 
Many  a  piece  did  I  commit  to  memory,  and  recite  and  rehearse, 
in  my  own  room,  over  and  over  again ;  yet  when  the  day  came, 
when  the  school  collected  to  hear  declamations,  when  my  name 
was  called,  and  I  saw  all  eyes  turned  to  my  seat,  I  could  not 
raise  myself  from  it.  Sometimes  the  instructors  frowned,  some 
times  they  smiled.  Mr.  Buckminster  always  pressed,  and 
entreated,  most  winningly,  that  I  would  venture ;  but  I  could 
never  command  sufficient  resolution.  When  the  occasion  was 
over,  I  went  home  and  wept  bitter  tears  of  mortification. 

At  the  winter  vacation,  December,  1796,  or  January,  1797,  my 
father  came  for  me,  and  took  me  home.  Some  long-enduring 
friendships  I  formed  in  the  few  months  I  was  at  Exeter.  J.  W. 
Bracket,  late  of  New  York,  deceased,  William  Garland,  late  of 
Portsmouth,  deceased,  Gov.  Cass,  of  Michigan,  Mr.  Saltonstall, 
and  James  H.  Bingham,  now  of  Claremont,  New  Hampshire,  are 
of  the  number.  In  February,  1797,  my  father  carried  me  to  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Wood's,  in  Boscawen,  and  placed  me  under  the 
tuition  of  that  most  benevolent  and  excellent  man.  It  was  but 
half  a  dozen  miles  from  our  own  house.  On  the  way  to  Mr. 
Wood's,  my  father  first  intimated  to  me  his  intention  of  sending 
me  to  college.  The  very  idea  thrilled  my  whole  frame.  He  said 
he  then  lived  but  for  his  children,  and  if  I  would  do  all  I  could  for 
myself,  he  would  do  what  he  could  for  me.  I  remember  that  I 
was  quite  overcome,  and  my  head  grew  dizzy.  The  thing  ap 
peared  to  me  so  high,  and  the  expense  and  sacrifice  it  was  to 
cost  my  father,  so  great,  I  could  only  press  his  hands  and  shed 
tears.  Excellent,  excellent  parent !  I  cannot  think  of  him,  even 
now,  without  turning  child  again. 

Mr.  Wood  put  me  upon  Virgil  and  Tully ;  and  I  conceived  a 
pleasure  in  the  study  of  them,  especially  the  latter,  which  ren 
dered  application  no  longer  a  task.  With  what  vehemence  did 
I  denounce  Catiline!  With  what  earnestness  struggle  for  Milo! 
In  the  spring  I  began  the  Greek  grammar,  and  at  midsummer 
Mr.  Wood  said  to  me :  "I  expected  to  keep  you  till  next  year, 
but  I  am  tired  of  you,  and  I  shall  put  you  into  college  next 
month."  And  so  he  did,  but  it  was  a  mere  breaking  in ;  I  was, 
indeed,  miserably  prepared,  both  in  Latin  and  Greek ;  but  Mr. 
Wood  accomplished  his  promise,  and  I  entered  Dartmouth 
College,  as  a  Freshman,  August,  1797.  At  Boscawen,  I  had 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  11 

found  another  circulating  library,  and  had  read  many  of  its 
volumes.  I  remember  especially  that  I  found  Don  Quixote,  in 
the  common  translation,  and  in  an  edition,  as  I  think,  of  three  or 
four  duodecimo  volumes.  I  began  to  read  it,  and  it  is  literally 
true  that  I  never  closed  my  eyes  till  I  had  finished  it ;  nor  did  I 
lay  it  down  for  five  minutes ;  so  great  was  the  power  of  that 
extraordinary  book  on  my  imagination. 

Of  my  college  life,  I  can  say  but  little.  Though  death  has 
made  great  havoc  in  our  class,  some  yet  live  who  were  intimate 
with  me ;  especially  Mr.  Bingham,  before  mentioned.  Rev.  Mr. 
Jewett,  of  Gloucester  (Sandy  Bay) ;  Rev.  Mr.  Tenny,  of  Weathers- 
field  ;  Rev.  Thomas  Abbott  Merrill,  of  Middlebury ;  Judge  Ful 
ler,  of  Augusta ;  Mr.  Farrar,  of  Lancaster  ;  Judge  Kingsbury,  of 
Gardiner,  and  several  others  of  the  class,  are  still  living. 

I  was  graduated,  in  course,  August,  1801.  Owing  to  some 
difficulties,  hcec  non  meminisse  juvat,  I  took  no  part  in  the  com 
mencement  exercises.  I  spoke  an  oration  to  the  Society  of  the 
United  Fraternity,  which  I  suspect  was  a  sufficiently  boyish 
performance. 

My  college  life  was  not  an  idle  one.  Beside  the  regular 
attendance  on  prescribed  duties  and  studies,  I  read  something 
of  English  history  and  English  literature.  Perhaps  my  reading 
was  too  miscellaneous.  I  even  paid  my  board,  for  a  year,  by 
superintending  a  little  weekly  newspaper,  and  making  selections 
for  it,  from  books  of  literature,  and  from  the  contemporary  pub 
lications.  I  suppose  I  sometimes  wrote  a  foolish  paragraph 
myself.  While  in  college,  I  delivered  two  or  three  occasional  ad 
dresses,  which  were  published.  I  trust  they  are  forgotten ;  they 
were  in  very  bad  taste.  I  had  not  then  learned  that  all  true 
power  in  writing  is  in  the  idea,  not  in  the  style,  an  error  into 
which  the  Ars  rhetorica,  as  it  is  usually  taught,  may  easily 
lead  stronger  heads  than  mine. 

I  must  now  go  back,  a  little,  to  make  mention  of  some  inci 
dents  connected  with  my  brother,  Ezekiel  Webster.  He  was 
almost  two  years  older  than  myself,  having  been  born  March  11, 
1780.  He  was  a  healthy,  strong-built,  robust  boy.  His  intellect 
ual  character,  as  it  afterwards  developed  itself,  was  not  early 
understood,  at  least  in  its  full  extent.  He  was  thought  to  have 
good  sense,  but  not  to  have,  and  perhaps  had  not,  great  quick 
ness  of  apprehension.  The  older  brothers  were  married  and 


12  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

settled.  My  father's  plan  was  that  this  brother  should  remain 
with  him.  This  was  the  domestic  state  of  things,  when  I  went 
to  college  in  August,  1797.  But  I  soon  began  to  grow  uneasy 
about  my  brother's  situation.  His  prospects  were  not  promis 
ing,  and  he  himself  saw  and  felt  this,  and  had  aspirations 
beyond  his  condition.  Nothing  was  proposed,  however,  by  way 
of  change  of  plan,  till  two  years  after.  In  the  spring  of  1799,  at 
the  May  vacation,  being  then  Sophomore,  I  visited  my  family, 
and  then  held  serious  consultation  with  my  brother.  I  remember 
well  when  we  went  to  bed,  we  began  to  talk  matters  over,  and 
that  we  rose,  after  sunrise,  without  having  shut  our  eyes.  But 
we  had  settled  our  plan.  He  had  thought  of  going  into  some 
new  part  of  the  country.  That  was  discussed  and  disagreed  to. 
All  the  pros  and  cons  of  the  question  of  remaining  at  home  were 
weighed  and  considered,  and  when  our  council  broke  up,  or 
rather  got  up,  its  result  was  that  I  should  propose  to  my  father, 
that  he,  late  as  it  was,  should  be  sent  to  school,  also,  and  to 
college.  This,  we  knew,  would  be  a  trying  thing  to  my  father  and 
mother,  and  two  unmarried  sisters.  My  father  was  growing 
old,  his  health  not  good,  and  his  circumstances  far  from  easy. 
The  farm  was  to  be  carried  on,  and  the  family  taken  care  of; 
and  there  was  nobody  to  do  all  this,  but  him,  who  was  regarded 
as  the  main  stay,  that  is  to  say,  Ezekiel.  However,  I  ventured 
on  the  negotiation,  and  it  was  carried,  as  other  things  are  often, 
by  the  earnest  and  sanguine  manner  of  youth.  I  told  him 
that  I  was  unhappy  at  my  brother's  prospects.  For  myself,  I 
saw  my  way  to  knowledge,  respectability,  and  self-protection ; 
but  as  to  him,  all  looked  the  other  way ;  that  I  would  keep 
school,  and  get  along  as  well  as  I  could — be  more  than  four  years 
in  getting  through  college,  if  necessary,  provided  he  also  could 
be  sent  to  study.  He  said  at  once  he  lived  but  for  his  children  ; 
that  he  had  but  little,  and  on  that  little  he  put  no  value,  except 
so  far  as  it  might  be  useful  to  them.  That  to  carry  us  both 
through  college  would  take  all  he  was  worth ;  that  for  himself 
he. was  willing  to  run  the  risk,  but  that  this  was  a  serious  mat 
ter  to  our  mother  and  two  unmarried  sisters;  that  we  must 
settle  the  matter  with  them,  and  if  their  consent  was  obtained, 
he  would  trust  to  Providence,  and  get  along  as  well  as  he  could. 
The  result  was,  that,  in  about  ten  days,  I  had  gone  back  to 
college,  having  first  seen  my  brother  take  leave  of  the  meadows, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  13 

and  place  himself  in  school,  under  a  teacher  in  Latin.  Soon 
afterwards  he  went  to  Mr.  Wood's,  and  there  pursued  the  requi 
site  studies,  and  my  father  carried  him,  with  me,  to  college  in 
March,  1801,  when  he  joined  the  then  Freshman  class. 

Being  graduated  in  August,  1801,  I  immediately  entered  Mr. 
Thompson's  office,  in  Salisbury,  next  door  to  my  father's  house, 
to  study  the  law.  There  I  remained  till  January  following,  viz : 
January,  1802.  The  necessity  of  the  case  required  that  I  should 
then  go  somewhere  and  gain  a  little  money.  I  was  written  to, 
luckily,  to  go  to  Fryeburg,  Maine,  to  keep  school.  I  accepted 
the  offer,  traversed  the  country  on  horseback,  and  commenced 
my  labors.  I  was  to  be  paid  at  the  rate  of  three  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  per  annum.  This  was  no  small  thing,  for  I  com 
pared  it  not  with  what  might  be  before  me,  but  what  was  actu 
ally  behind  me.  It  was  better,  certainly,  than  following  the 
plough.  But  let  me  say  something  in  favor  of  my  own  industry ; 
not  to  make  a  merit  of  it,  for  necessity  sometimes  makes  the 
most  idle  industrious.  It  so  happened  that  I  boarded,  at  Frye 
burg,  with  the  gentleman,  James  Osgood,  Esq.,  who  was  Reg 
ister  of  Deeds  of  the  then  newly  created  County  of  Oxford.  He 
was  not  clerical,  in  and  of  himself;  and  his  registration  was  to 
be  done  by  deputy.  The  fee  for  recording  at  full  length  a  com 
mon  deed,  in  a  large  fair  hand,  and  with  the  care  requisite  to 
avoid  errors,  was  two  shillings  and  three  pence.  Mr.  Osgood 
proposed  to  me  that  I  should  do  this  writing,  and  that  of  the 
two  shillings  and  three  pence  for  each  deed,  I  should  have  one 
shilling  and  sixpence,  and  he  should  have  the  remaining  nine- 
pence.  I  greedily  seized  on  so  tempting  an  offer,  and  set  to 
work.  Of  a  long  winter's  evening  I  could  copy  two  deeds,  and 
that  was  half  a  dollar.  Four  evenings  in  a  week  earned  two 
dollars  ;  and  two  dollars  a  week  paid  my  board.  This  appeared 
to  me  to  be  a  very  thriving  condition ;  for  my  three  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  salary  as  a  school-master  was  thus  going  on,  without . 
abatement  or  deduction  for  vivres.  I  hope  yet  to  have  an  op 
portunity  to  see,  once  more,  the  first  volume  of  the  Record  of 
Deeds,  for  the  County  of  Oxford.  It  is  now  near  thirty  years 
since  I  copied  into  it  the  last  "witness  my  hand  and  seal;"  and 
I  have  not  seen  even  its  outside  since.  But  the  ache  is  not  yet 
out  of  my  fingers ;  for  nothing  has  ever  been  so  laborious  to  me 
as  writing,  when  under  the  necessity  of  writing  a  good  hand. 
VOL.  i.  2 


14  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

In  May  of  this  year,  (1802,)  having  a  week's  vacation,  I  took 
my  quarter's  salary,  mounted  a  horse,  went  straight  over  all  the 
hills  to  Hanover,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  putting  these,  the  first 
earnings  of  my  life,  into  my  brother's  hands,  for  his  college 
expenses.  Having  enjoyed  this  sincere  and  high  pleasure,  I 
hied  me  back  again  to  my  school  and  my  copying  of  deeds.  I 
stayed  in  Fryeburg  only  till  September.  My  brother  then  came 
to  see  me,  we  made  a  journey  together  to  the  lower  part  of 
Maine,  and  returned  to  Salisbury.  I  resumed  my  place  in  Mr. 
Thompson's  office,  and  he  went  back  to  college. 

At  Fryeburg,  I  found  another  circulating  library,  and  made 
some  use  of  it.  I  remember  to  have  read,  while  at  Fryeburg, 
Adams's  Defence  of  the  American  Constitutions,  Mosheim's  Ec 
clesiastical  History,  Goldsmith's  History  of  England,  and  some 
other  small  things.  I  borrowed  Blackstone's  Commentaries, 
also,  and  read,  I  think,  two  or  three  volumes  of  them.  Here, 
also,  I  found  Mr.  Ames's  celebrated  speech,  on  the  British  Treaty, 
and  committed  it  to  memory.  From  September,  1802,  to 
February  or  March,  1804,  I  remained  in  Mr.  Thompson's  office, 
and  studied  the  law.  He  was  an  admirable  man,  and  a  good 
lawyer  himself;  but  I  was  put  to  study  in  the  old  way,  that  is, 
the  hardest  books  first,  and  lost  much  time.  I  read  Coke  Little 
ton  through,  without  understanding  a  quarter  part  of  it.  Hap 
pening  to  take  up  Espinasse's  Law  of  Nisi  Prius,  I  found  I 
could  understand  it,  and,  arguing  that  the  object  of  reading  was 
to  understand  what  was  written,  I  laid  down  the  venerable 
Coke  et  alios  similes  reverendos,  and  kept  company  for  a  time 
with  Mr.  Espinasse  and  others,  the  most  plain,  easy,  and  intelli 
gible  writers.  A  boy  of  twenty,  with  no  previous  knowledge  on 
such  subjects,  cannot  understand  Coke.  It  is  folly  to  set  him 
on  such  an  author. 

There  are  propositions  in  Coke  so  abstract,  and  distinctions  so 
nice,  and  doctrines  embracing  so  many  conditions  and  qualifica 
tions,  that  it  requires  an  effort,  not  only  of  a  mature  mind,  but 
of  a  mind  both  strong  and  mature  to  understand  him.  Why 
disgust  and  discourage  a  boy,  by  telling  him  that  he  must  break 
into  his  profession,  through  such  a  wall  as  this  ?  I  really  often 
despaired.  I  thought  I  never  could  make  myself  a  lawyer,  and 
was  almost  going  back  to  the  business  of  school-keeping.  A 
friend  has  recently  returned  to  me  a  letter,  written  by  me  to 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  15 

him,  at  that  time,  showing  my  feelings  of  despondence  and 
despair.  Mr.  Espinasse,  however,  helped  me  out  of  this,  in  the 
way  I  have  mentioned ;  and  I  have  always  felt  greatly  obliged 
to  him. 

I  do  not  know  whether  I  read  much,  during  this  year  and  a 
half,  beside  law  books,  with  two  exceptions.  I  read  Hume, 
though  not  for  the  first  time ;  but  my  principal  occupation  with 
books,  when  not  law  books,  was  with  the  Latin  Classics.  I 
brought  from  college  a  very  scanty  inheritance  of  Latin.  I 
now  tried  to  add  to  it.  I  made  myself  familiar  with  most  of 
Tully's  orations,  committed  to  memory  large  passages  of  some 
of  them,  read  Sallust,  and  Caesar  and  Horace.  Some  of 
Horace's  odes  I  translated  into  poor  English  rhymes  ;  they  were 
printed ;  I  have  never  seen  them  since.  My  brother  was  a  far 
better  Latin  scholar  than  myself,  and  in  one  of  his  vacations  we 
read  Juvenal  together.  But  I  never  mastered  his  style  so  as  to 
read  him  with  ease  and  pleasure.  At  this  period  of  my  life  I 
passed  a  great  deal  of  time  alone.  My  amusements  were  fish 
ing,  and  shooting,  and  riding ;  and  all  these  were  without  a 
companion.  I  loved  this  occasional  solitude  then,  and  have 
loved  it  ever  since,  and  love  it  still.  I  like  to  contemplate 
nature,  and  to  hold  communion,  unbroken  by  the  presence  of 
human  beings,  with  "  this  universal  frame,  thus  wondrous  fair  ; " 
I  like  solitude  also  as  favorable  to  thoughts  less  lofty.  I  like  to 
let  the  thoughts  go  free,  and  indulge  in  their  excursions.  And 
when  thinking  is  to  be  done,  one  must  of  course  be  alone.  No 
man  knows  himself  who  does  not  thus,  sometimes,  keep  his  own 
company.  At  a  subsequent  period  of  life,  I  have  found  that 
my  lonely  journeys,  when  following  the  court  on  its  circuits, 
have  afforded  many  an  edifying  day.1 

Before  proceeding  to  note  some  events  which  happened  in 
1804,  I  ought  to  say,  that  it  would  not  have  been  possible  for 
us  to  have  got  along,  had  it  not  been  for  the  small  income 
derived  from  my  father's  official  situation.  As  soon  as  the  war 

l  The  argument  in  the  Dartmouth  College  case  was  mainly  arranged,  during  a 
journey  on  professional  business  from  Boston  to  Barnstable  and  back.  John 
Adams's  speech  was  composed,  not  in  Philadelphia,  in  1776,  but  in  Massachusetts, 
in  1826,  in  a  New  England  chaise.  The  address  for  Bunker  Hill  was,  in  great 
part,  composed  in  Marshpee  Brook;  Testibus,  Johanne  de  Trutta  et  F.  W. 
puero. 


16  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

of  the  Revolution  was  over,  and  the  pursuits  of  peace  returned, 
he  was  elected  into  such  public  offices  as  it  might  be  supposed 
he  was  qualified  to  fill.  His  qualities  were  integrity,  firmness, 
decision,  and  extraordinary  good  sense.  His  defect,  the  want 
of  early  education.  He  never  saw  the  inside  of  a  school-house, 
in  the  character  of  a  learner ;  and  yet  the  first  records,  or  some 
among  the  first,  of  the  town  of  Salisbury,  are  in  his  handwrit 
ing.  What  he  knew,  he  had  taught  himself.  His  character  was 
generous  and  manly,  and  his  manner  such  as  gave  him  influence 
with  those  around  him.  Early  and  deeply  religious,  he  had  still 
a  good  deal  of  natural  gayety ;  he  delighted  to  have  some  one 
about  him  that  possessed  a  humorous  vein.  A  character  of  this 
sort,  one  Robert  Wise,  with  whose  adventures,  as  I  learned  them 
from  himself,  I  could  fill  a  small  book,  was  a  near  neighbor, 
and  a  sort  of  humble  companion  for  a  great  many  years.  He 
was  a  Yorkshire  man ;  had  been  a  sailor ;  was  with  Byng  in  the 
Mediterranean ;  had  been  a  soldier ;  deserted  from  the  garrison 
of  Gibraltar ;  travelled  through  Spain,  and  France,  and  Holland ; 
was  taken  up  afterwards,  severely  punished,  and  sent  back  to  the 
army ;  was  in  the  battle  of  Minden ;  had  a  thousand  stories  of 
the  yellow-haired  Prince  Ferdinand;  was  sent  to  Ireland,  and 
thence  to  Boston,  with  the  troops  brought  out  by  Gen.  Gage ; 
fought  at  Bunker  Hill,  deserted  to  our  ranks,  served  with  the 
New  Hampshire  troops  in  all  the  succeeding  campaigns,  and  at 
the  peace,  built  a  little  cottage  in  the  corner  of  our  field,  on  the 
river's  bank,  and  there  lived  to  an  advanced  old  age.  He  was  my 
Isaac  Walton.  He  had  a  wife,  but  no  child.  He  loved  me, 
because  I  would  read  the  newspapers  to  him,  containing  the 
accounts  of  battles  in  the  European  wars.  He  had  twice  de 
serted  from  the  English  king,  and  once,  at  least,  committed 
treason,  as  well  as  desertion,  but  he  had  still  a  British  heart. 
When  I  have  read  to  him  the  details  of  the  victories  of  Howe, 
and  Jervis,  &c.,  I  remember  he  was  excited  almost  to  convul 
sions,  and  would  relieve  his  excitement  by  a  gush  of  exulting 
tears.  He  finally  picked  up  a  fatherless  child,  took  him  home, 
sent  him  to  school,  and  took  care  of  him,  only,  as  he  said,  that 
he  might  have  some  one  to  read  the  newspaper  to  him.  He 
could  never  read  himself.  Alas,  poor  Robert !  I  have  never  so 
attained  the  narrative  art  as  to  hold  the  attention  of  others,  as 
thou,  with  thy  Yorkshire  tongue,  hast  held  mine.  Thou  hast  car- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  17 

ried  me  many  a  mile  on  thy  back,  paddled  me  over,  and  over, 
and  up  and  down  the  stream,  and  given  whole  days,  in  aid  of 
my  boyish  sports,  and  asked  no  meed,  but  that,  at  night,  I  would 
sit  down  at  thy  cottage  door,  and  read  to  thee  some  passage  of 
thy  country's  glory !  Thou  wast,  indeed,  a  true  Briton. 

My  father  was  of  such  consideration  among  his  neighbors, 
that  he  was  usually  in  such  public  employment  as  they  had  to 
bestow.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature,  and  a  Senator ; 
and  about  the  year  1791, 1  think,  appointed  a  judge  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  for  the  county.  This  place  afforded  three  or 
four  hundred  dollars  a  year,  a  sum  of  the  greatest  importance  to 
the  family.  He  lived  just  long  enough  to  witness  my  first  ap 
pearance,  and  hear  my  first  speech  in  court. 

In  the  winter  of  1804,  it  had  become  necessary  for  either  my 
brother  or  myself  to  undertake  something  that  should  bring  us 
a  little  money,  for  we  were  getting  to  be  "  heinously  unpro 
vided."  To  find  some  situation  for  one  or  the  other  of  us,  I  set 
off  in  February,  and  found  my  way  to  Boston.  My  journey  was 
fortunate.  Dr.  Perkins  had  been  in  the  instruction  of  a  school, 
in  Short  street:1  he  was  about  leaving  it,  and  proposed  that  my 
brother  should  take  it.  I  hastened  home,  and  he  had  just  then 
finished  a  short  engagement  in  school-keeping,  at  Sanbornton, 
or  was  about  finishing  it,  it  being  near  the  end  of  the  winter 
vacation ;  and  he  readily  seized  the  opportunity  of  employment 
in  Boston.  This  broke  in  upon  his  college  life,  but  he  thought 
he  could  keep  up  with  his  class.  A  letter,  stating  the  necessity 
of  the  case,  was  sent  to  the  authorities  of  the  college,  and  he 
went  immediately  to  Boston.  His  success  was  good,  nay  great ; 
so  great,  that  he  thought  he  could  earn  enough  to  defray,  in  ad 
dition  to  debts  and  other  charges,  the  expense  of  my  living  in 
Boston,  for  what  remained  of  my  term  of  study.  Accordingly, 
I  went  to  Boston,  in  July,  to  pass  a  few  months  in  some  office. 
I  had  not  a  single  letter,  and  knew  nobody,  in  the  place  to  which 
I  was  going,  except  Dr.  Perkins,  then  a  very  young  man,  and 
like  myself  struggling  to  get  on.  But  I  was  sanguine,  and  light- 
hearted.  He  easily  persuades  himself  that  he  shall  gain,  who 
has  nothing  to  lose,  and  is  not  afraid  of  attempting  to  climb, 
when,  if  he  fail  in  his  first  step,  he  is  in  no  danger  of  a  fall. 
Arrived  in  Boston,  I  looked  out  for  an  office,  wherein  to  study. 
1  Now  Kingston  street 

2* 


18  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

But  then,  as  I  knew  none  of  the  legal  gentlemen,  and  had  no  letter, 
this  was  an  affair  of  some  difficulty.  Some  attempts  to  be  received 
into  a  lawyer's  office  failed,  properly  enough,  for  these  reasons;  al 
though  the  reminiscence  has  since  sometimes  caused  me  to  smile. 

Mr.  Gore  had  just  then  returned  from  England,  and  renewed 
the  practice  of  the  law.  He  had  rooms  in  Scollay's  building, 
and  as  yet  had  no  clerk.  A  young  man,  as  little  known  to  Mr. 
Gore  as  myself,  undertook  to  introduce  me  to  him !  In  logic, 
this  would  have  been  bad.  Ignotum  per  ignotum.  Never 
theless  it  succeeded  here.  We  ventured  into  Mr.  Gore's  rooms, 
and  my  name  was  pronounced.  "  I  was  shockingly  embarrassed, 
but  Mr.  Gore's  habitual  courtesy  of  manner  gave  me  courage  to 
speak.  I  had  the  grace  to  begin  with  an  unaffected  apology  ; 
told  him  my  position  was  very  awkward,  my  appearance  there 
very  like  an  intrusion,  and  that,  if  I  expected  any  thing  but  a 
civil  dismission,  it  was  only  founded  in  his  known  kindness  and 
generosity  of  character.  I  was  from  the  country,  I  said ;  had 
studied  law  for  two  years,  had  come  to  Boston  to  study  a  year 
more  ;  had  some  respectable  acquaintances  in  New  Hampshire, 
not  unknown  to  him,  but  had  no  introduction ;  that  I  had  heard 
he  had  no  clerk,  thought  it  possible  he  would  receive  one  ;  that 
I  came  to  Boston  to  work  and  not  to  play  ;  was  most  desirous, 
on  all  accounts,  to  be  his  pupil ;  and  all  I  ventured  to  ask,  at 
present,  was,  that  he  would  keep  a  place  for  me  in  his  office,  till 
I  could  write  to  New  Hampshire  for  proper  letters,  showing  me 
worthy  of  it.  I  delivered  this  speech  trippingly  on  the  tongue, 
though  I  suspect  it  was  better  composed,  than  spoken. 

Mr.  Gore  heard  me  with  much  encouraging  good-nature. 
He  evidently  saw  my  embarrassment,  spoke  kind  words,  and 
asked  me  to  sit  down.  My  friend  had  already  disappeared! 
Mr.  Gore  said,  what  I  had  suggested  was  very  reasonable, 
and  required  little  apology ;  he  did  not  mean  to  fill  his  office 
with  clerks,  but  was  willing  to  receive  one  or  two,  and  would 
consider  what  I  had  said.  He  inquired,  and  I  told  him,  what 
gentlemen  of  his  acquaintance  knew  me  and  my  father,  in  New 
Hampshire.  Among  others,  I  remember,  I  mentioned  Mr.  Pea- 
body,  who  was  Mr.  Gore's  classmate.  He  talked  to  me  pleas 
antly,  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour ;  and  when  I  rose  to  depart,  he 
said :  "  My  young  friend,  you  look  as  though  you  might  be 
trusted.  You  say  you  came  to  study,  and  not  to  waste  time. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  19 

I  will  take  you  at  your  word.  You  may  as  well  hang  up  your 
hat,  at  once ;  go  into  the  other  room ;  take  your  book  and  sit 
down  to  reading  it,  and  write  at  your  convenience  to  New 
Hampshire  for  your  letters." 

I  was  conscious  of  making  a  good  stride  onward,  when  I  had 
obtained  admission  into  Mr.  Gore's  office.  It  was  a  situation 
which  offered  to  me  the  means  of  studying  books,  and  men,  and 
things.  It  was  on  the  20th  of  July,  1804,  that  I  first  made  my 
self  known  to  Mr.  Gore ;  and  although  I  remained  in  his  office 
only  till  March  following,  and  that  with  considerable  intervening 
absences,  I  made,  as  I  think,  some  respectable  progress.  In 
August  the  Supreme  Court  sat.  I  attended  it  constantly,  and 
reported  every  one  of  its  decisions.  I  did  the  same  in  the  Cir 
cuit  Court  of  the  United  States.  I  kept  a  little  journal  at  that 
time,  which  still  survives.  It  contains  little  beside  a  list  of 
books  read. 

In  addition  to  books  on  the  common  and  municipal  law,  I 
find  I  read  Vattel,  for  the  third  time  in  my  life,  as  is  stated  in 
the  journal;  Ward's  Law  of  Nations,  Lord  Bacon's  Elements, 
Puffendorf's  Latin  History  of  England,  Gifford's  Juvenal, 
Boswell's  Tour  to  the  Hebrides,  Moore's  Travels,  and  many 
other  miscellaneous  things.  But  my  main  study  was  the  com 
mon  law,  and  especially  the  parts  of  it  which  relate  to  special 
pleading.  Whatever  was  in  Viner,  Bacon,  and  other  books, 
then  usually  studied  on  that  part  of  the  science,  I  paid  my 
respects  to.  Among  other  things,  I  went  through  Saunders's 
Reports,  the  old  folio  edition,  and  abstracted  and  put  into  Eng 
lish,  out  of  Latin  and  Norman  French,  the  pleadings  in  all  his 
reports.  It  was  an  edifying  work.  From  that  day  to  this  the 
forms  and  language  of  special  pleas  have  been  quite  familiar  to 
me.  I  believe  I  have  my  little  abstract  yet. 

I  remember  one  day,  as  I  was  alone  in  the  office,  a  man  came 
in  and  asked  for  Mr.  Gore.  Mr.  Gore  was  out,  and  he  sat  down 
to  wait  for  him.  He  was  dressed  in  plain  gray  clothes.  I  went 
on  with  my  book,  till  he  asked  me  what  I  was  reading,  and 
coming  along  up  to  the  table,  I  held  out  my  book,  and  he  took 
it  and  looked  at  it.  "  Roccus"  said  he,  "  de  navibus  et  naulo ;" 
"  well,  I  read  that  book  too,  when  I  was  a  boy ; "  and  proceeded 
to  talk  not  only  about  "  ships  and  freights,"  but  insurance,  prize, 
and  other  matters  of  maritime  law,  in  a  manner  "  to  put  me  up 


20  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

to  all  I  knew,"  and  a  good  deal  more.    The  gray-coated  stranger 
turned  out  to  be  Mr.  Rufus  King. 

On  my  aforesaid  journal,  "  Some  Characters  at  the  Boston 
Bar,  1804;"  they  are  drawings  not  worth  preserving,  but  I  quote 
what  I  find  is  written,  at  least  a  part  of  it,  on  one.1 

*«*#****** 

I  will  here  transcribe  one  other  thing  from  this  little  journal, 
the  record  of  an  occurrence  which  had  entirely  escaped  my 
recollection.  I  copy  the  paragraph  verbum  post  verbum. 

"  March  5th.  This  day,  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  State 
House,  in  presence  of  Isaac  P.  Davis,  and  Samuel  A.  Bradley, 
and  Timothy  Dix,  Jr.,  I  examined  the  letters  to  Callender  from 
Jefferson.  Mr.  Dix  told  me  he  had  often  seen  the  signature  of 
Mr.  Jefferson,  and,  on  being  asked  whether  he  doubted  that  Mr. 
Jefferson  really  signed  the  letters  in  question,  he  said  he  did  not 
I  preserve  this  precious  confession  against  time  of  need." 

In  March,  1805,  I  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the  Suffolk 
Court  of  Common  Pleas.  The  practice  then  was  for  the  patron 
to  go  into  court,  introduce  the  pupil  to  the  judges,  make  a  short 
speech,  commending  his  diligence,  &c.,  and  move  for  his  admis 
sion  to  the  bar.  I  had  the  honor  to  be  so  introduced  by  Mr. 
Gore.  I  remember  every  word  of  his  speech.  It  contained  a 
prediction,  which  I  firmly  resolved,  quantum  in  me  fuerit,  should 
not  go  entirely  unfulfilled. 

In  January  preceding  my  admission,  I  was  the  subject  of  a 
great  honor.  The  clerk  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  the 
county  of  Hillsborough  resigned  his  place.  My  father  was  one 
of  the  judges  of  the  court,  and  I  was  appointed  to  the  vacant 
clerkship.  This  was  equal  to  a  Presidential  election.  The 
office  had  an  income  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  a  year.  It  seemed 
to  me  very  great,  and  indeed  it  was  so,  rebus  consideratis.  The 
obtaining  of  this  office  had  been  a  darling  object  with  my  father. 
Its  possession  would  make  the  family  easy,  and  he  hastened  to 
send  me  tidings  that  the  prize  was  won.  I  certainly  considered 
it  a  great  prize,  myself,  and  was  ready  to  abandon  my  profession 
for  it ;  not  that  I  did  not  love  my  profession ;  and  not  that  I  did 

1  The  "journal"  referred  to  will  be  found  in  a  subsequent  part  of  this  volume. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  21 

not  hate  the  clerkship,  and  all  clerkships ;  but  simply  from  a 
desire  to  reach  that  high  point  of  terrestrial  bliss,  at  which  I 
might  feel  that  there  was  a  competency  for  our  family,  myself 
included.  I  had  felt  the  res  angust<R  till  my  very  bones  ached. 
But  Mr.  Gore  peremptorily  shut  me  out  from  this  opening  par 
adise.  When  I  went  to  him,  with  my  letter  in  my  hand,  to 
communicate  the  good  news,  he  said  it  was  civil  in  their  Honors 
of  the  Bench,  and  that  I  must  write  them  a  respectful  letter ; 
that  they  intended  it  as  a  mark  of  confidence  in  me,  and  of 
respect,  probably,  for  my  father,  and  that  I  was  bound  to  make 
civil  acknowledgments.  This  was  a  shower  bath  of  ice  water. 
I  was  thinking  of  nothing  but  of  rushing  to  the  immediate  en 
joyment  of  the  proffered  office;  but  he  was  talking  of  civil 
acknowledgment  and  decorous  declension.  Finding  my  spirits, 
and  face  too,  I  suppose,  falling,  he  found  out  the  cause,  and 
went  on  to  speak,  in  a  serious  tone,  against  the  policy  and  pro 
priety  of  taking  such  an  office.  To  be  sure,  his  reasons  were 
good,  but  I  was  slow  to  be  convinced.  He  said,  I  was  nearly 
through  my  professional  preparation,  that  I  should  soon  be  at 
the  bar,  and  he  saw  not  why  I  might  not  hope  to  make  my  way 
as  well  as  others ;  that  this  office  was  in  the  first  place  precari 
ous,  it  depended  on  the  will  of  others ;  and  other  times  and 
other  men  might  soon  arise,  and  my  office  be  given  to  somebody 
else.  And  in  the  second  place,  if  permanent,  it  was  a  stationary 
place;  that  a -clerk  once,  I  was  probably  nothing  better  than  a 
clerk,  ever ;  and,  in  short,  that  he  had  taken  me  for  one  who  was 
not  to  sit  with  his  pen  behind  his  ear.  "  Go  on,"  said  he,  "  and 
finish  your  studies ;  you  are  poor  enough,  but  there  are  greater 
evils  than  poverty ;  live  on  no  man's  favor ;  what  bread  you  do 
eat,  let  it  be  the  bread  of  independence ;  pursue  your  profession, 
make  yourself  useful  to  your  friends,  and  a  little  formidable  to 
your  enemies,  and  you  have  nothing  to  fear." 

I  need  hardly  say  that  I  acquiesced  in  this  good  advice; 
though  certainly  it  cost  me  a  pang.  Here  was  present  comfort, 
competency,  and  I  may  even  say  riches,  as  I  then  viewed  things, 
all  ready  to  be  enjoyed,  and  I  was  called  upon  to  reject  them 
for  the  uncertain  and  distant  prospect  of  professional  success. 
But  I  did  resist  the  temptation;  I  did  hold  on  to  the  hope  which 
the  law  set  before  me. 

One  very  difficult  task  remained,  however,  to  be  performed ; 


22  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

and  that  was  to  reconcile  my  father  to  my  decision.  I  knew  it 
would  strike  him  like  a  thunderbolt.  He  had  long  had  this 
office  in  view  for  me ;  its  income  would  make  him,  and  make 
us  all,  easy  and  comfortable ;  his  health  was  bad,  and  growing 
worse.  His  sons  were  all  gone  from  him.  This  office  would 
bring  me  home,  and  it  would  bring  also  comfort  and  com 
petency  "  to  all  the  house."  It  was  now  mid-winter ;  I  looked 
round  for  a  country  sleigh^  (stage-coaches,  then,  no  more  ran  into 
the  centre  of  New  Hampshire  than  they  ran  to  Baffin's  Bay,) 
and  finding  one  that  had  come  down  to  the  market,  I  took  pas 
sage  therein,  and  in  two  or  three  days,  was  set  down  at  my 
father's  door.  I  was  afraid  my  own  resolution  would  give  way, 
and  that  after  all  I  should  sit  down  to  the  clerk's  table.  But  I 
fortified  myself,  as  well  as  I  could ;  I  put  on,  I  remember,  an  air 
of  confidence,  success,  and  gayety.  It  was  evening.  My  father 
was  sitting  before  his  fire,  and  received  me  with  manifest  joy. 
He  looked  feebler  than  I  had  ever  seen  him,  but  his  countenance 
lighted  up  on  seeing  his  clerk  stand  before  him,  in  good  health, 
and  better  spirits. 

He  immediately  proceeded  to  the  great  appointment,  said 
how  spontaneously  it  had  been  made,  how  kindly  the  Chief 
Justice  proposed  it,  with  what  unanimity  all  assented,  &c.,  &c., 
&c.  I  felt  as  if  I  could  die,  or  fly;  I  could  hardly  breathe. 
Nevertheless,  I  carried  it  through,  as  we  say,  according  to  my 
plan.  Spoke  gayly  about  it;  was  much  obliged  to  their  Honors; 
meant  to  write  them  a  respectful  letter.  If  I  could  consent  to 
record  anybody's  judgments,  should  be  proud  to  record  their 
Honors,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.  I  proceeded  in  this  strain,  till  he  exhib 
ited  signs  of  amazement ;  it  having  occurred  to  him  at  length, 
that  I  might  be  serious  in  an  intention  to  decline  the  office,  a 
thing  which  had  never  entered  into  his  imagination.  "  Do  you 
intend  to  decline  this  office  ?  "  said  he,  at  length.  "  Most  cer 
tainly,"  said  I.  "  I  cannot  think  of  doing  otherwise ;  I  should 
be  very  sorry,  if  I  could  not  do  better  at  present  than  to  be 
clerk,  for  fifteen  hundred  dollars  a  year,  not  to  speak  of  future 
prospects!  I  mean  to  use  my  tongue  in  the  courts,  not  my  pen; 
to  be  an  actor,  not  a  register  of  other  men's  actions.  I  hope  yet, 
sir,  to  astonish  your  Honor,  in  your  own  court,  by  my  profes 
sional  attainments ! " 

For  a  moment,  I  thought  he  was  angry.    He  rocked  his  chair, 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  23 

slightly  ;  a  flash  went  over  an  eye,  softened  by  age,  but  still  as 
black  as  jet ;  but  it  was  gone,  and  I  thought  I  saw  that  parental 
partiality  was  after  all  a  little  gratified  at  this  apparent  devotion 
to  an  honorable  profession,  and  this  seeming  confidence  of  suc 
cess  in  it.  "  Well,  my  son,  your  mother  has  always  said  you 
would  come  to  something  or  nothing,  she  was  not  sure  which  ; 
I  think  you  are  now  about  settling  that  doubt  for  her."  This 
he  said,  and  never  a  word  spoke  more  to  me  on  the  subject.  I 
stayed  at  home  a  week,  promised  to  come  to  him  again  as  soon 
as  I  was  admitted,  and  returned  to  Boston. 

Being  admitted  to  the  bar,  as  already  stated,  in  March,  I 
went  to  Amherst,  where  the  court  was  then  sitting,  and  where 
my  father  was,  and  from  Amherst  to  his  own  house.  My  design 
was  to  settle  in  practice  at  Portsmouth  ;  but  I  determined  not  to 
leave  my  father,  during  his  life.  Accordingly,  I  took  a  room  in 
the  little  adjoining  village  of  Boscawen,  and  there  commenced 
the  practice  of  the  law.  My  father  lived  but  another  year.  He 
died  in  April,  1806,  and  lies  in  the  burial-ground,  in  his  own 
field,  just  at  the  turn  of  the  road,  beneath  the  shadow  of  a  tall 
pine.  Beside  him  repose  my  mother,  my  three  own  sisters,  and 
Joseph,  my  youngest  half  brother.  Alas !  while  the  living  all 
change,  the  tabernacle  of  the  dead  remains  unaltered.  To  me, 
my  little  native  village  is  now  hardly  known,  but  by  its  sepulchres. 
The  villagers  arc  gone ;  an  unknown  generation  walk  under  our 
elms.  Unknown  faces  meet  and  pass  me  in  my  own  paternal 
acres.  I  recognize  nothing  but  the  tombs  !  I  have  no  acquaint 
ance  remaining  but  the  dead ! 

In  May,  1807,  I  was  admitted  as  attorney  and  counsellor  of 
the  Superior  Court,  and  in  September  of  that  year,  relinquished 
my  office  in  Boscawen  to  my  brother,  who  had  then  obtained 
admission  to  the  bar,  and  removed  to  Portsmouth  according  to 
my  original  destination. 

The  two  years  and  a  half  which  I  spent  in  Boscawen  were 
devoted  to  business  and  study.  I  had  enough  of  the  first  to  live 
on,  and  to  afford  opportunity  for  practice  and  discipline.  I  read 
taw  and  history ;  not  without  some  mixture  of  other  things. 
These  were  the  days  of  the  Boston  Anthology,  and  I  had  the 
honor  of  being  a  contributor  to  that  publication.  There  are 
sundry  reviews,  written  by  me,  not  worth  looking  up  or  remem 
bering. 


24  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

September,  1807,  I  went  to  Portsmouth,  there  to  practise  my 
profession.  June  24, 1808,  I  was  married. 

I  lived  in  Portsmouth  nine  years,  wanting  one  month.  They 
were  very  happy  years.  Circumstances  favored  me,  at  my  first 
beginning  there.  Owing  to  several  occurrences,  there  happened 
to  be  an  unfilled  place  among  leading  counsel  at  that  bar.  I 
did  not  fill  it ;  but  I  succeeded  to  it.  It  so  happened,  and  so 
has  happened,  that,  with  the  exception  of  instances  in  which  I 
have  been  associated  with  the  Attorney- General  of  the  United 
States,  for  the  time  being,  I  have  hardly  ten  times  in  my  life 
acted  as  junior  counsel.  Once  or  twice  with  Mr.  Mason,  and 
once  or  twice  with  Mr.  Prescott,  once  with  Mr.  Hopkinson,  are 
all  the  cases  which  occur  to  me. 

Indeed,  for  the  nine  years  I  lived  in  Portsmouth,  Mr.  Mason 
and  myself,  in  the  counties  where  we  both  practised,  were  on 
opposite  sides,  pretty  much  as  a  matter  of  course.1  He  has  been 
of  infinite  advantage  to  me,  not  only  by  his  unvarying  friend 
ship,  but  by  the  many  good  lessons  he  has  taught  and  the  ex 
ample  he  set  me  in  the  commencement  of  my  career.  If  there 
be  in  the  country  a  stronger  intellect,  if  there  be  a  mind  of  more 
native  resources,  if  there  be  a  vision  that  sees  quicker  or  sees 
deeper  into  whatever  is  intricate  or  whatsoever  is  profound,  1 
must  confess  I  have  not  known  it.  I  have  not  written  this  para 
graph  "without  considering  what  it  implies.  I  look  to  that 
individual,  who,  if  it  belong  to  anybody,  is  entitled  to  be  an 
exception.  But  I  deliberately  let  the  judgment  stand.  That 
that  individual  has  much  more  habit  of  regular  composition, 
that  he  has  been  disciplined  and  exercised  in  a  vastly  superior 
school,  that  he  possesses  even  a  faculty  of  illustration  more 
various  and  more  easy,  I  think  may  be  admitted.  That  the 


1  Tn  illustration  of  this,  the  Editor  will  add  an  anecdote  related  to  him  by  the 
late  Eben.  Chadwick,  Esq.,  of  Boston. 

Mr.  Chadwick  said,  "  I  used  often  to  attend  the  court,  when  it  sat  at  Ports 
mouth,  on  purpose  to  hear  Mr.  Mason  and  Mr.  Webster,  who  were  always  on 
opposite  sides,  and  engaged  in  all  important  cases.  On  one  occasion  the  clerk 
was  calling  the  docket,  and  the  various  counsel  entering  their  names  in  the 
various  suits ;  Mr.  Mason  and  Mr.  Webster  answering  for  plaintiff  or  defendant 
in  almost  every  one.  At  last  a  case  was  called,  and  I  overheard  the  following 
conversation  between  them.  Mr.  Mason  said, '  Webster,  what  side  are  you  on 
in  this  case  ? '  Mr.  Webster  replied,  '  I  don't  know,  take  your  choice.' " 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  25 

original  reach  of  his  mind  is  greater,  that  its  grasp  is  stronger, 
that  its  logic  is  closer,  I  do  not  allow. 

My  professional  practice,  while  living  in  Portsmouth,  was  very 
much  a  circuit  practice.  I  followed  the  superior  court,  in  most 
of  the  counties  of  the  State.  It  was  never  lucrative.  There 
was  a  limit,  and  that  a  narrow  one,  beyond  which  gains  could 
not  be  made  from  it.  I  do  not  think  it  was  ever  worth  fairly 
two  thousand  doUars  a  year. 

Business,  too,  feh1  off  much,  by  the  war ;  and,  soon  after  that 
event,  I  determined  on  a  change  of  residence. 

I  have  never  held  office,  popular  or  other,  in  the  government 
of  New  Hampshire.  My  time  was  always  exclusively  given  to 
my  profession  till  1812,  when  the  war  commenced.  I  had  oc 
casionally  taken  part  in  political  questions,  always  felt  an 
interest  in  elections,  and  contributed  my  part,  I  believe,  to  the 
political  ephemera  of  the  day.  Indeed,  I  always  felt  an  interest 
in  political  concerns.  My  lucubrations  for  the  press  go  back,  I 
believe,  to  my  sixteenth  year.  They  are  or  ought  to  be  all  for 
gotten,  at  least  most  of  them ;  and  all  of  this  early  period. 

When  I  visited  my  father,  from  Boston,  in  January  or  Febru 
ary,  1804,  a  severe  political  contest  was  going  on  between 
Governor  Gilman  and  Governor  Langdon.  The  friends  of  the 
former,  and  they  were  my  friends,  wanted  a  pamphlet,  and  I 
was  pressed  to  write  one.  I  did  the  deed,  I  believe,  at  a  single 
sitting  of  a  winter's  day  and  night.  Not  long  ago  I  found  a 
copy  of  this  sage  production.  Among  things  of  a  similar  kind 
it  is  not  certainly  despicable.  It  is  called  an  "  Appeal  to  Old 
Whigs."  Like  other  young  men,  I  made  Fourth  of  July  ora 
tions  ;  at  Fryeburg,  1802 ;  at  Salisbury,  1805 ;  at  Concord, 
1806,  which  was  published;  and  at  Portsmouth,  1812,  published 
also. 

August,  1812,  I  wrote  the  "  Buckingham  Memorial."  It  was 
an  anti  war  paper,  of  some  note  in  its  time.  I  confess  I  am 
pleased  to  find,  on  looking  at  it  now,  for  I  do  not  think  I  have 
read  it  in  all  the  twenty  years  that  have  rolled  by  since  I  wrote 
it,  among  all  its  faults,  whether  of  principle  or  in  execution,  that 
it  is  of  a  tone  and  strain  less  vulgar  than  such  things  are  prone 
to  be. 

Before  this  period,  I  think  in  1808,  I  had  written  the  little 
VOL.  i.  3 


26  AUTOBIOGRAPHY   OF 

pamphlet,  lately  rescued  from  oblivion,  called  "  Considerations 
on  the  Embargo  Laws." 

In  November,  1812,  I  was  elected  member  of  Congress ;  I 
took  my  seat  at  the  extra  session,  May,  1813. 

In  August,  1814,  I  was  reelected.  Of  the  little  I  did,  and  the 
little  I  said,  while  a  member  of  Congress  from  New  Hampshire, 
the  amount  is  to  be  found  in  the  history  of  the  public  proceed 
ings  of  those  times.  I  recollect  some  interesting  occurrences, 
connected  with  important  subjects,  which  I  cannot  narrate  with 
out  refreshing  my  recollection  of  dates  by  reference  to  the  jour 
nals.  My  efforts  in  regard  to  the  banks,  at  different  times 
suggested,  and  in  regard  to  the  currency  of  the  country,  I  think 
were  of  some  small  degree  of  utility  to  the  public.  Other  sub 
jects  were  temporary,  and  whatever  was  done  or  said  about 
them  has  passed  away,  and  lost  its  interest.  To  these  endeav 
ors  to  maintain  a  sound  currency,  I  owe  the  acquaintance  and 
friendship  of  the  late  Mr.  Cabot,  who  was  kind  enough  to 
think  me  entitled  to  his  regard. 

In  the  session  of  1815  and  1816,  I  also  made  the  acquaintance 
of  Mr.  Francis  C.  Lowell.  He  passed  some  weeks  at  Washing 
ton.  I  was  much  with  him.  I  found  him  full  of  exact,  practical 
knowledge,  on  many  subjects.  At  the  same  session,  I  made  an 
acquaintance  with  our  friend,  Mr.  D  wight,1  or  renewed  and  cul 
tivated  a  slight  one  of  longer  standing.  His  friendship  and 
advice  very  much  influenced  my  subsequent  resolution  of  coming 
to  Boston,  when  I  left  Portsmouth.  I  balanced,  at  this  time, 
between  Boston  and  Albany,  but  finally  settled  to  do  what  I 
soon  did.  I  could  carry  my  practice  in  New  Hampshire  no 
further ;  I  could  make  no  more  of  it ;  and  its  results  were  not 
competent  to  the  support  of  my  family.  Having  resolved  on  a 
change,  I  accomplished  it  at  once.  In  June,  1816,  I  came  over 
with  my  wife,  to  see  about  a  house.  On  the  16th  of  August, 
I  left  Portsmouth  forever,  and  the  same  day  arrived,  with  my 
wife  and  children,  at  Boston.  My  children  were  then  Grace  and 
Daniel  Fletcher.  We  stayed  two  or  three  weeks  at  Mrs.  De 
lano's,  and  then  went  to  housekeeping,  in  a  house  of  Mr.  J. 
Mason's,  on  Mount  Vernon  street. 

I  think  I  never  went  into  court  in  New  Hampshire  again, 
except  when  I  went  down  the  following  September  in  the  Dart 
mouth  College  cause. 

1  The  late  Edmund  Dwight  Esq.,  of  Boston. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  27 

When  I  moved  to  Boston,  I  had  still  one  session  to  serve  in 
Congress.  Mr.  Mason  was  a  Senator  at  that  time.  We  went 
to  Washington  in  November  with  our  families,  and  took  lodg 
ings  together.  But  my  wife  and  myself  were  called  back  by  the 
illness  of  our  daughter.  We  left  Washington  the  first  day  of 
January  and  found  her  living.  She  died  the  23d  day  of  January. 
I  returned  to  Washington  soon  after,  mainly  on  account  of 
business  in  court.  On  the  rising  of  Congress  and  the  court,  1 
came  back  to  Boston,  and  entered  with  diligence  on  the  labors 
of  my  profession. 

I  have  hurried  over  my  residence  in  Portsmouth.  There  are 
incidents  of  no  public  concernment,  yet  interesting  to  me  and 
mine,  not  mentioned.  In  December,  1813,  I  being  gone  to 
Washington,  my  house  was  burnt,  in  what  is  called  the  great 
fire.  My  wife  and  children  had  just  time  to  escape.  I  had 
recently  bought  the  house  for  six  thousand  dollars;  its  loss, 
with  the  loss  of  what  was  burnt  in  it,  was  no  small  matter.  It 
was  in  no  part  insured. 

THE  END. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE. 


THE  extraordinary  intimacy  and  more  than  usual  brotherly  affection,  which 
existed  between  Ezckiel  and  Daniel  Webster,  from  the  earliest  moment  to  which 
their  history  can  be  traced,  down  to  the  time  of  the  decease  of  the  elder  brother, 
is  amply  shown  in  their  correspondence ;  and  anything  like  the  work  contem 
plated  by  the  editor,  would  be  wanting,  not  only  in  completeness,  but  in  proper 
sentiment,  which  should  not  contain  a  fit  and  affectionate  notice  of  him. 

Indeed,  in  addition  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  sense  of  propriety  and  his  affec 
tion,  the  editor  feels  it  to  be  enjoined  upon  him,  as  far  as  lies  in  his  power,  to 
keep  together  the  names  and  memories  of  the  two  brothers,  when  he  considers 
the  words  of  the  dedication  of  his  father's  first  volume  of  his  works,  to  his  nieces, 
from  a  desire,  as  he  says,  "  that  the  name  of  my  brother  may  be  associated 
with  mine  so  long  as  anything  written  or  spoken  by  me  shall  be  regarded  or 
read." 

Governed  by  these  views,  the  editor  applied  to  Professor  Sanborn,  of  Dartr 
mouth  College,  who  was  kind  enough,  in  compliance  with  his  wishes,  to  furnish 
him  the  following  sketch  of  Mr.  Ezekiel  Webster. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 


EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 


A  FEW  of  the  early  letters  of  Mr.  Webster,  and  his  brother 
Ezekiel,  have  escaped  the  changes  and  accidents  of  more  than 
half  a  century.  These  precious  memorials  bear  the  marks  of 
age  and  decay.  The  manuscripts  are  worn  and  discolored,  and 
their  contents  are  deciphered  with  some  difficulty,  but  the  senti 
ments  they  contain  are  as  fresh  and  vigorous  as  though  they 
had  been  penned  but  yesterday.  They  breathe  forth  the  warm 
affections  of  loving  hearts,  and  reveal  the  manly  opinions  of 
earnest  minds.  A  peculiar  interest  attaches  to  these  letters. 
They  relate  to  a  very  important  period  in  the  history  of  the 
writers.  They  show  how  these  young  students,  by  the  home 
bred  virtues  of  industry  and  perseverance,  forged  their  armor  for 
the  battle  of  life,  and-  put  on,  at  the  very  commencement  of  the 
struggle,  that  invincible  panoply  of  good  habits  and  correct 
opinions  by  means  of  which,  in  after  years,  they  were  enabled 
to  achieve  such  memorable  victories.  The  difficulties  and  trials, 
which  they  met  and  overcame,  are  precisely  the  same  which  lie 
in  the  path  of  every  youth  who  depends  on  his  own  resources 
for  his  future  success.  A  knowledge  of  the  history  of  the  first 
twenty  years  of  a  man's  life  is  essential  to  the  right  appreciation 
of  his  subsequent  career.  During  this  period,  the  constitutional 
tendencies  are  manifested,  the  native  endowments  developed, 
and  the  moral  character  formed.  The  four  years  of  a  collegiate 
course  subject  every  quality  and  faculty  of  the  head  and  heart 
to  the  severest  trial.  It  is  generally  conceded,  that  the  moral 
and  intellectual  powers  are  fully  and  fairly  exhibited  during  the 
process  of  education.  Tried  by  this  standard,  the  academic 
life  of  Daniel  and  Ezekiel  Webster  is  a  true  index  of  their  con 
duct  and  ability,  as  public  men,  in  maturer  years. 


32  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH   OF 

Ezekiel  Webster  was  born  in  Salisbury,  New  Hampshire, 
April  11,  1780.  The  first  nineteen  years  of  his  life  were  spent 
upon  his  father's  farm.  There,  he  faithfully  performed  all  the 
labors  and  cheerfully  submitted  to  all  the  hardships  incident  to 
the  cultivation  of  a  comparatively  unproductive  soil  in  a  newly- 
settled  country,  and  under  a  rigorous  climate.  By  this  he 
acquired  that  full,  muscular  development  and  majestic  figure 
which,  in  later  years,  left  upon  all  beholders  the  impression  of 
extraordinary  manly  beauty.  He  was  nearly  six  feet  in  height, 
finely  proportioned,  with  a  very  commanding  presence.  Men 
now  living,  who  knew  him  in  the  meridian  of  his  manhood, 
speak  with  the  highest  enthusiasm  of  his  personal  appearance, 
his  dignified  deportment,  and  his  winning  countenance.  A 
writer  in  one  of  our  public  journals,  who  knew  him  intimately, 
says :  "  The  image  of  him  that  now  presents  itself  is  that  of  a 
magnificent  form,  crowned  with  a  princely  head,  that  in  his  last 
years  was  thickly  covered  with  snowy  hair.  His  complexion 
was  just  the  opposite  of  Daniel's ;  and  he  was  as  conspicuous  in 
that  way,  as  the  latter  was  in  his.  His  countenance  was  open 
as  the  day ;  his  heart  was  warm  and  affectionate ;  his  manners 
kind  and  courteous."  .His  brother,  also,  in  a  letter,  written  in 
1846,  says  of  him  :  "  He  appeared  to  me  the  finest  human  form 
that  I  ever  laid  eyes  on.  I  saw  him  in  his  coffin ;  a  tinged 
cheek,  a  complexion  clear  as  the  heavenly  light." 

There  existed  between  these  brothers  a  remarkable  unity  of 
opinion,  sentiment,  and  affection.  They  were  never  known  to 
disagree,  upon  any  matter  of  importance,  in  youth,  or  manhood. 
They  could  say,  with  the  utmost  sincerity,  what  the  Roman  poet 
asserted  of  himself  and  his  attached  friend : 

"  Fraternis  animis  quidquid  negat  alter  et  alter, 
Annuimus  pariter  vetuli  notique  columbi." 

Almost  every  page  of  their  long  and  frequent  correspondence 
presents  them  as  mutual  helpers  and  advisers,  in  ah1  the  relations 
of  life,  both  public  and  private.  They  loved  each  other  with  the 
intensity,  fervor,  and  constancy  of  woman's  devotion.  They 
"  took  sweet  counsel  together,"  labored  for  their  united  welfare, 
and  shared,  in  common,  the  fruits  of  their  toil.  The  younger 
brother,  because  his  slender  frame  could  not  bear  the  fatigues 
of  a  farmer's  life,  was  consecrated  to  study.  After  enjoying  for 


EZEKIEL   WEBSTER.  33 

a  time,  the  pleasures  of  intellectual  effort  and  acquisition,  he  be 
came  anxious  that  Ezekiel  should  become  the  companion  of  his 
new  and  exciting  pursuits.  As  they  were  united  in  sympathy 
and  opinions,  they  desired  to  engage  in  the  same  professional 
employments.  During  a  college  vacation,  when  both  were  at 
home,  they  made  the  education  of  the  elder  brother  the 
theme  of  their  conversation,  and  laid  their  plans  together  for  its 
accomplishment.  One  night,  in  particular,  they  passed  in  sleep 
less  conference.  Of  their  secret  deliberations,  and  the  results  of 
them,  Mr.  Webster  has  given  a  very  touching  account  in  his 
autobiography.  One  affecting  incident  which  he  related  to  the 
writer,  a  few  years  before  his  decease,  is  there  omitted.  It  is 
this.  A  family  council  was  called.  The  mother's  opinion  was 
asked.  She  was  a  strong-minded,  sagacious  woman.  She  was 
not  insensible  to  the  merits  of  her  sons.  She  saw  the  reason 
ableness  of  their  request.  She  therefore  decided  the.  matter  at 
once.  Her  reply  was :  "  I  have  lived  long  in  the  world  and 
have  been  happy  in  my  children.  If  Daniel  and  Ezekiel  will 
promise  to  take  care  of  me  in  my  old  age,  I  will  consent  to  the 
sale  of  all  our  property,  at  once,  and  they  may  enjoy  the  benefit 
of  what  remains  after  our  debts  are  paid."  This  was  a  moment 
of  intense  interest  to  all  the  parties.  Parents  and  children,  as 
Mr.  Webster  himself  declared,  mingled  their  tears  together  and 
sobbed  aloud  at  the  thought  of  separation.  The  father  yielded 
to  the  entreaties  of  his  sons  and  the  advice  of  his  wife.  Daniel 
returned  to  college,  and  Eaekiel  took  his  scanty  wardrobe  in  his 
hand,  and  sought,  on  foot,  the  scene  of  his  preparatory  studies. 
He  spent  two  terms  at  Salisbury  Academy,  in  acquiring  the 
rudiments  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  tongues ;  then,  to  avoid  all 
unnecessary  expense,  he  went  to  reside  with  Rev.  Samuel 
Wood,  of  Boscawen,  who  was  accustomed  to  board  and  instruct 
indigent  students  for  a  very  limited  compensation,  ordinarily  not 
exceeding  one  dollar  a  week.  Mr.  Webster's  early  acquaintance 
with  books  was  very  limited,  because  they  were  not  to  be  found 
in  the  secluded  retreat  where  he  spent  his  boyhood.  The 
Granite  State,  in  its  interior,  scarcely  presents  a  less  attractive 
nook,  than  the  place  of  his  birth.  The  rough  and  forbidding 
aspect  of  the  landscape  has  nothing  about  it  to  charm  the  eye 
or  educate  the  taste.  The  society  of  the  region  had  little  to 
stimulate  the  intellect  or  develop  the  affections.  A  book  was 


34  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH  OF 

almost  as  rare  as  a  nobleman  or  a  coach.  After  the  removal 
of  Judge  Webster  to  "  Elms  Farm,"  as  it  is  now  called,  within 
the  present  limits  of  Franklin,  the  occasional  visits  of  profes 
sional  men,  at  his  father's  house,  and  the  loan  of  a  book,  now 
and  then,  from  the  lawyer  or  pastor  of  the  parish,  gave  to  the 
young  scholar  a  more  elevated  notion  of  intellectual  culture 
and  of  refined  society.  But  the  young  man  who  labors  upon  a 
farm  till  he  nearly  attains  his  majority,  without  the  excitement 
derived  from  an  association  with  educated  minds  and  useful 
books,  suffers  greatly  in  comparison  with  those  whose  early 
years  have  been  favored  with  opportunities  of  reading  or  listen 
ing  to  the  thoughts  of  others.  Such  a  student  labors  under  a 
twofold  disadvantage.  He  has  neither  intellectual  stores,  nor 
the  power  of  acquiring  them.  He  is  obliged  to  learn  both  how 
to  think,  and  what  to  think;  to  discipline  his  mind  and  to 
furnish  it  with  the  necessary  impulse  to  independent  effort. 

The  spirit  and  temper  of  the  community,  moreover,  did  not 
tend  to  foster  a  love  of  letters.  The  early  settlers  of  that  un- 
genial  region  were  the  enemies  of  liberal  learning.  They  were 
as  hostile  to  an  aristocracy  founded  on  such  a  basis,  as  to  one 
of  birth  or  wealth,  and  they  deemed  it  wrong  to  elevate,  by 
education,  one  member  of  a  family  to  the  comparative  disparage 
ment  of  the  others.  They  believed  that  no  young  man,  whose 
physical  powers  were  adequate  to  the  management  of  a  farm 
or  the  defence  of  his  country,  should  be  allowed  to  enter  a  col 
lege.  The  pale  and  sickly  boy  might  be  devoted  to  learning, 
but  the  strong  and  vigorous  should  "  abide  by  the  stuff."  In 
consenting,  therefore,  to  the  education  of  both  his  boys,  and 
especially  to  that  of  the  athletic  and  powerful  lad,  Ezekiel, 
Judge  Webster  acted  in  opposition  to  a  well-known  public 
opinion,  and  it  required  great  moral  courage  to  sustain  him  in 
doing  so. 

But  the  strongest  objection  after  all,  in  the  father's  mind,  to 
the  departure  of  the  elder  son  to  school,  was  the  want  of  means 
for  his  support.  With  his  small  farm,  already  encumbered  by  a 
heavy  mortgage,  it  seemed  to  a  mind  deeply  imbued  with  reli 
gion,  as  Judge  Webster's  was,  almost  like  tempting  Providence, 
to  assume  an  additional  burden  in  his  old  age.  But  the  young 
men  were  ardent  and  hopeful,  and  to  their  brighter  views  of  the 
future,  his  parental  fondness  and  confidence  induced  him  to 


EZEKIEL  WEBSTER.  35 

yield,  and  he  lived  to  have  his  declining  years  made  happy  by 
the  result  of  his  decision.  Dr.  Wood,  who  was  the  private  tutor 
of  both  the  sons,  was  distinguished  for  his  rare  Christian  virtues. 
He  was  one  of  the  excellent  of  the  earth.  During  his  long  and 
successful  ministry,  at  Boscawen,  he  fitted  more  than  one  hundred 
young  men  for  college.  Those  who  could  not  pay  for  their 
board  immediately  he  trusted;  and  to  some  very  indigent 
pupils,  he  forgave  the  debt.  He  was  not  an  eminent  scholar, 
though  a  lover  of  learning.  He  could  appreciate  genius,  with 
out  feeling  its  fires  in  his  own  bosom.  By  his  unwearied  dili 
gence  and  fidelity,  he  succeeded  in  making  good  scholars.  He 
labored  from  principle,  from  an  ever-present  conviction  that  he 
must  do  ah1  within  his  power  to  benefit  the  rising  generation. 
It  was  the  boast  and  glory  of  his  life  that  he  was  the  tutor  of 
Daniel  and  Ezekiel  Webster.  He  loved  them  as  children ;  they 
honored  him  as  a  father.  He  rejoiced  that,  under  Providence, 
he  had  contributed  to  their  social  elevation ;  and  they  esteemed 
it  not  the  least  of  their  blessings  that  their  kind,  generous,  and 
godly  teacher  derived  sincere  pleasure  from  their  success. 

Ezekiel  Webster,  who  afterwards,  while  he  lived,  sat  under 
his  theological  instructions,  was  through  life  his  warm  friend 
and  confidential  adviser.  He  taught  his  children  to  reverence  his 
gray  hairs,  and  to  esteem  it  one  of  their  greatest  earthly  privi 
leges  that  they  were  permitted  to  enjoy  the  religious  counsels 
and  witness  the  worthy  example  of  this  good  man ;  and  though 
he  did  not  fully  accord  with  all  the  doctrines  inculcated  by  his 
venerable  pastor,  yet  he  never  allowed  others  to  assail  him  in 
his  presence.  He  once  replied,  very  pointedly,  to  a  brother 
lawyer,  who,  after  listening  to  one  of  Dr.  Wood's  sermons,  took 
occasion  to  disparage  the  performance,  that  he  "  doubted  his 
ability  to  appreciate  him."  Dr.  Wood  was  no  ordinary  man. 
His  heart  ever  beat  with  the  warm  pulsations  of  benevolence 
towards  all  men.  He  was  an  "  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  there 
was  no  guile."  Ezekiel  Webster,  after  spending  about  nine 
months  under  his  tuition,  entered  Dartmouth  College,  in  the 
spring  of  1801.  Notwithstanding  the  deficiency  of  his  early 
education  and  his  very  limited  preparation,  especially  for  ad 
vanced  standing,  from  the  very  beginning  of  his  collegiate  course, 
he  took  his  position  among  the  first  in  his  class,  and  retained  it 
to  the  day  of  his  graduation.  In  the  classics,  he  had  no  superior, 


36  BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH  OF 

if  an  equal.  The  earliest  productions  of  his  pen,  now  extant, 
show  conclusively,  that  he  had  thoroughly  mastered  the  ele 
mentary  branches  of  an  English  education  at  the  common 
school.  The  orthography,  the  grammatical  construction,  and 
even  the  punctuation,  are  entirely  faultless.  The  tone  of  the 
thoughts  they  contain  is  manly,  dignified,  and  serious.  He 
never  trifled,  at  any  period  of  his  life,  nor  allowed  himself  to  be 
trifled  with.  His  deportment  always  accorded  with  his  instinc 
tive  convictions  of  propriety.  He  gave  his  whole  soul  to  the 
duties  before  him,  was  always  present  in  the  lecture-room,  and 
well  prepared.  By  his  unwearied  devotion  to  study  and  his 
cheerful  submission  to  the  laws  of  the  college,  he  won  the  last 
ing  friendship  of  the  faculty.  One  of  them,  Dr.  Shurtleff,  still 
survives  to  bear  testimony  to  his  superior  scholarship  and  un 
tarnished  morals.  The  lapse  of  fifty  years  has  not  abated  his 
admiration  of  the  student  or  the  man.  He  still  remembers  the 
marked  ability  with  which  he  grappled  with  the  difficulties  of 
science,  and  the  clearness,  directness,  and  logical  accuracy  with 
which  he  solved  the  knotty  problems  of  morals  and  metaphysics. 
Dr.  Shurtleff  also  gave  private  instruction  in  theology.  This 
was  a  voluntary  exercise.  Ezekiel  Webster  was  an  active  and 
interested  member  of  his  class ;  and  the  professor  now  affirms, 
that  there  was  no  student  in  the  college,  at  that  day,  whose 
intellectual  powers  he  loved  so  well  to  put  to  the  trial,  or,  to  use 
his  own  words,  "  to  push  out  into  deep  water,"  and  none  whom 
he  always  found  so  correct  in  his  notions  and  so  clear  in  his 
replies. 

In  the  spring  of  his  senior  year,  Mr.  Webster  found  his 
longer  residence  in  college  impossible  from  want  of  funds.  He 
then  withdrew  from  his  class,  by  permission  of  the  faculty,  and 
purchased  the  good-will  of  a  private  school  in  Boston,  which 
he  taught  with  great  success  till  the  following  April.  At  the 
same  time  he  pursued  the  studies  of  his  class  with  reference  to 
a  degree  at  the  approaching  commencement,  and  taught  an 
evening  school  for  sailors,  to  eke  out  his  scanty  income.  He 
was  graduated  in  1804,  though  he  had  been  an  actual  resident 
in  college  only  three  years.  His  character  is  clearly  evinced  in 
the  fixed  and  determined  purpose  which  he  early  formed  of 
securing  the  best  education  which  his  native  State  afforded, 
and  by  the  decision,  hopefulness,  and  perseverance  with  which 


EZEKIEL   WEBSTER  37 

he  encountered  the  obstacles  and  endured  the  toil  and  self-denial 
essential  to  his  intellectual  and  professional  success.  He  taught 
district  schools,  during  each  winter  of  his  abridged  college 
course,  and  taught  a  select  classical  school,  in  Boston,  for  six 
months  of  his  senior  year,  thus  devoting  nearly  one  half  of  all 
his  time  to  the  purchase  of  the  privilege  of  studying  during  the 
other  half.  The  necessity  of  this  arrangement  is  explained  in 
one  of  his  letters  to  his  brother.  Notwithstanding  these  repeated 
interruptions  of  his  studies,  he  earned  a  solid  reputation  as  a 
scholar;  and  by  his  uniform  integrity,  sobriety,  industry,  and 
honorable  deportment,  secured  the  good- will  of  all  who  knew  him. 
Many  of  the  friendships  which  he  formed  in  those  years  of  trial 
and  adversity,  he  cherished,  with  unabated  warmth,  to  the  close 
of  life. 

Mr.  Webster  commenced  the  study  of  law  under  the  tuition 
of  the  late  Governor  Sullivan,  then  attorney-general  of  Massa 
chusetts,  and  completed  his  course  in  the  office  of  Parker 
Noyes,  Esq.,  of  Salisbury,  N.  H.  He  entered  upon  the  practice 
of  his  profession  in  September,  1807,  at  Boscawen,  where  he 
continued  to  reside  till  his  decease.  His  legal  knowledge  and 
moral  worth  soon  became  known,  and  acquired  for  him  an  ex 
tensive  business.  As  a  lawyer,  he  had  few  equals.  He  was  a 
wise  counsellor  and  an  able  advocate.  After  Daniel  Webster 
removed  from  New  Hampshire,  Ezekiel  Webster  exhibited  him 
self,  more  frequently,  as  a  pleader  of  causes  and  a  public  speaker ; 
but  while  his  brother  was  practising  in  the  same  courts,  his 
extreme  modesty  caused  him  rather  to  shrink  from  a  compar 
ison  of  their  relative  strength  in  forensic  argument.  He  was 
never  ambitious  to  excel  as  an  orator.  It  was  only  the  urgent 
appeal  of  duty  or  the  imperative  obligation  of  his  profession 
that  overcame  his  instinctive  aversion  to  a  crowd,  and  called 
forth  his  highest  powers  of  eloquence.  He  never  encouraged 
litigation ;  but  on  the  contrary,  used  always  his  personal  influ 
ence  to  bring  about  a  private  adjustment  of  most  of  the  con 
tested  matters  that  originated  in  his  own  town.  The  disputes 
of  his  neighbors  he  generally  settled,  as  did  his  father  before 
him,  by  private  advice.  In  youth,  they  confided  in  him  as  a 
friend ;  in  mature  manhood,  they  reverenced  him  as  a  father ; 


VOL.    I. 


38  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH   OF 

and  there  are  many  of  his  aged  fellow-citizens,  now  living,  who 
still  keep  his  memory  green,  in  their  hearts,  and  speak  of  his 
loss  in  the  mellowed  tones  of  a  sorrow,  undiminished,  if  softened 
by  years.  He  was  a  model  lawyer,  as  he  was  a  model  man. 
In  debate,  he  was  dignified  and  courteous.  His  weapons  were 
sound  arguments  clothed  in  simple,  but  elegant  language.  He 
never  resorted  to  artifice,  evasion,  or  false  logic.  His  eloquence 
was  earnest  and  effective.  For  many  years,  he  was  a  member 
of  one  or  the  other  branch  of  the  state  legislature ;  and  in  each, 
was  as  highly  distinguished  for  his  sound  opinions,  wise  counsels, 
and  powerful  arguments,  as  for  his  well-defined  and  comprehen 
sive  views  upon  all  the  great  interests  of  society.  He  was  emi 
nently  qualified  to  take  a  leading  part  in  public  councils  and  to 
exert  an  effectual  control  over  the  minds  and  hearts  of  others. 
His  political  opinions  were  so  enlarged  and  liberal,  that  he  never 
allowed  local  interests  to  interfere  with  his  firm  support  of  the 
general  welfare.  He  was  educated  a  Federalist  by  his  father, 
a  Whig  of  1776,  of  the  old  school,  a  soldier  and  an  officer  in  the 
war  of  the  Revolution,  who  inculcated  upon  his  sons  a  profound 
respect  for  "  the  father  of  his  country,"  and  for  his  political  opin 
ions.  They  were  old  enough  to  remember  the  administration 
of  Washington,  and  to  form  their  own  estimate  of  its  merits. 
From  the  principles  which  he  advocated,  they  never  swerved. 
Mr.  Ezekiel  Webster's  political  sentiments  amounted  almost  to 
religious  convictions.  They  were  the  result  of  careful  inquiry, 
calm  consideration,  guided  and  controlled  by  a  strict  regard  for 
right  and  truth.  He  always  maintained  his  opinions  fearlessly, 
honestly,  and  eloquently,  even  when  their  defence  brought  upon 
him  political  proscription.  He  could  tolerate  no  man  who 
proved  recreant  to  his  professions,  either  in  politics,  morality,  or 
religion,  and  put  a  proper  estimate  upon  the  changeling  who 
regulates  his  creed  by  the  voice  of  the  multitude.  His  con 
scientious  adherence  to  the  unpopular  principles  of  the  Federal 
ists  left  him,  for  many  years,  in  the  minority,  in  his  own  State, 
and  effectually  prevented  his  election  to  Congress,  or  his 
appointment  to  any  post  of  honor  or  trust  under  the  General 
Government. 

Mr.  Webster's  private  character  and  habits  were  thus  deli 
neated,  at  the  time  of  his  decease,  by  one  who  knew  him 
intimately : — 


EZEKIEL  WEBSTER.  39 

"  It  was  a  remarkable  feature  of  his  character,  that,  in  every 
relation  of  life  which  he  sustained,  his  fidelity  and  benevolence 
were  invariable.  To  his  relatives  and  personal  friends,  his 
kindness  was  real  and  unceasing.  He  made  no  professions  of 
good-will  or  attachment ;  in  this  respect  he  was  peculiar.  His 
acts  were  material  and  unequivocal  demonstrations  of  a  noble 
heart,  and  the  memory  of  them  will  be  cherished  by  numerous 
individuals,  especially  his  younger  and  even  distant  relatives, 
as  among  their  most  precious  and  endearing  recollections. 

"  To  5e,  and  not  to  seem,  was  this  man's  wisdom — 
Reaping  the  fruits  that  in  a  rich  mind  grow, 
Whence  sage  advice  and  noble  actions  flow." 

He  was  a  practical  and  skilful  farmer.  Living  in  the  coun 
try,  enthusiastically  attached  to  the  healthful  and  virtuous 
pursuits  of  rural  life,  and  the  quiet,  and  happiness,  and  simplic 
ity  of  domestic  scenes,  he  was  strongly  inclined  to  be  connected 
with  and  to  cherish  that  great  interest,  which  was  the  principal 
concern  of  his  neighbors,  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  He  was 
the  most  active  founder,  a  very  efficient  member,  and  subse 
quently  the  president  of  the  Merrimac  Agricultural  Society.  By 
exciting  attention,  in  his  vicinity,  to  improvements  in  the  breed 
of  animals,  in  fruits,  grasses,  grains,  and  the  various  valuable 
productions  of  the  earth,  and  by  examples  of  better  modes  of 
husbandry,  in  draining,  reclaiming,  and  other  agricultural  pro 
cesses,  Mr.  Webster  sought  to  be  useful,  without  regarding  the 
expense  to  himself  of  what  he  foresaw  to  be  ultimately  service 
able  to  the  farmer  and  to  the  community.  His  own  farm, 
inherited  from  his  father,  became,  under  his  care,  one  of  the 
most  improved  and  best  cultivated,  as  it  is  one  of  the  most 
pleasantly  situated  and  valuable,  in  the  county  of  Merrimac. 

Most  simple  and  temperate  in  his  habits  of  life,  his  whole 
leisure  from  business  was  devoted  to  books.  Reading  was  his 
luxury.  His  acquaintance  with  the  ancient  classics  was  far 
more  extensive  and  accurate  than  is  usually  preserved,  or 
indeed  attained,  by  men  so  early  and  so  constantly  engaged  in 
the  pursuits  of  active  life.  "With  Latin  authors,  especially,  his 
intimacy  was  uninterrupted.  Indeed,  the  noble  Roman  spirit, 
the  energetic  brevity  of  expression,  and  the  profound  knowledge 
of  human  nature,  which  charmed  him  in  some  of  these  works, 


40  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH   OF 

strikingly  correspond  to  the  great  features  of  his  own  character 
and  style. 

History  he  regarded  as  an  essential  part  of  liberal  knowledge, 
and  necessary  to  professional  and  political  distinction.  That  of 
our  own  country  and  of  England,  in  particular,  he  studied  with 
unwearied  diligence  and  inexhaustible  delight,  not  in  the  gen 
eral  and  summary  treatises  only,  but  in  the  minutest  details  of 
biography,  annals,  and  state  papers.  Early  convinced  of  the 
essential  imperfection  of  all  abstracts  and  commentaries  upon 
history,  except  as  valuable  and  often  splendid  exhibitions  of 
literary  talent  and  taste,  he  was  more  and  more  fond,  as  he  ad 
vanced  in  life,  of  tracing  the  great  lines  of  human  character,  the 
leading  motives  and  principles  of  human  action,  in  the  most 
precise  and  full  details  which  the  records  of  our  race  furnish. 

He  loved  the  established  English  classics,  and  would  not 
admit  that  there  is  any  thing  in  more  modern  productions  which 
should  lead  us  to  forget  Milton  and  Shakspeare,  Clarendon, 
Sherlock  and  Taylor,  Dryden  and  Pope,  Burke  and  Johnson. 

Of  education,  in  all  its  branches,  from  our  common  schools  to 
the  college,  of  which  he  was  for  many  years  an  efficient  trustee, 
no  man  entertained  more  enlightened  and  just  ideas,  and  no 
man  felt  a  deeper  interest  in  the  subject.  The  nourishing  acad 
emy  in  his  own  town  grew  up  under  his  influence,  and  con 
stantly  felt  his  substantial  aid  and  supervision. 

The  institutions  of  religion  were  cheerfully  supported  by  him, 
their  establishment  recommended  and  encouraged  wherever  he 
had  influence,  and  divine  worship  maintained  in  his  family,  and 
attended  by  him  in  public,  with  singular  punctuality  and  pro 
priety.  His  conviction  of  the  truth,  importance,  and  authority  of 
Christianity,  was  unhesitatingly  and  habitually  manifested  on 
all  suitable  occasions.  He  left  behind  him,  in  his  own  hand 
writing,  an  interesting  proof  of  his  faith  in  Christianity,  and  of 
his  judgment  and  belief  as  to  what  are  its  leading  doctrines." 

The  following  is  an  exact  transcript  of  the  manuscript  alluded 
to,  which  was  found,  after  his  death,  upon  his  office  table. 

"  I  believe  there  is  one  only  living  and  true  God,  the  maker 
of  heaven  and  earth,  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER.  41 

"  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.  That  he  came 
into  the  world,  suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate,  was  crucified, 
buried  and  rose  from  the  dead,  and  ascended  into  heaven ;  and 
that  he  will  come  to  judge  the  world  at  the  last-day.  That  God 
hath  exalted  him  at  his  right  hand,  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour, 
to  give  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  to  those  who  call  upon 
his  name  and  have  faith  in  him. 

"  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  sent  from  God  to  guide, 
instruct,  and  comfort  those,  who  devoutly  and  diligently  seek  to 
know  and  do  the  will  of  God. 

"  I  believe  that  God  created  man  in  his  own  image,  '  in  the 
image  of  God  created  he  him;  male  and  female  created  he 
them.'  And  that  our  first  parents  transgressed  the  law  of  God, 
by  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit. 

"  I  believe  the  Bible,  containing  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
to  be  the  word  of  God,  written  by  holy  men,  inspired  by  him, 
whose  doctrines  we  are  bound  to  believe,  and  according  to  whose 
precepts  we  are  bound  to  walk. 

"  I  believe  that  there  are  many  good  men,  and  pious  Christians, 
who  do  not  think  as  I  do,  and  that  it  is  my  duty  to  distrust  my 
own  heart ;  to  entertain  humble  views  of  my  own  merits,  and 
to  exercise  kind  and  charitable  feelings  toward  those  who  differ 
from  me  in  their  religious  opinions,  and  modes  of  worship,  be 
lieving  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  but  in  every  nation, 
he  that  feareth  Him,  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  of 
Him. 

"  Omniscient  God !  Thou  knowest  all  things.  Thou  knowest 
the  frailties  and  infirmities  of  our  natures ;  the  weakness  of  our 
understandings  and  the  perverseness  of  our  hearts.  If  we  are 
right  we  thank  thee,  and  pray  for  thy  grace,  therein  to  abide 
stedfastly  to  the  end.  If  we  are  wrong,  impute  it  not,  but  have 
compassion  on  our  ignorance  and  teach  us  the  right  way,  and 
enable  us  to  embrace  it  and  walk  in  it.  Whatever  is  erroneous 
in  our  belief,  correct ;  whatever  is  amiss  in  our  lives,  reform ; 
what  is  dark  in  our  understandings,  enlighten ;  what  is  weak, 
strengthen  and  support.  Give  us  all  needful  knowledge,  right 
tempers,  and  right  feelings ;  and  grant  us  the  forgiveness  of  our 
sins,  and  acceptance  with  thee,  through  thy  Son,  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord  and  Saviour." 


42        BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH    OF    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Mr.  Webster  died  on  the  10th  day  of  April,  1829,  aged  49. 
The  closing  scene  of  his  life  strikes  us  as  peculiar,  and  almost 
without  a  parallel.  Instances  of  sudden  death,  it  is  true,  have 
not  been  unfrequent ;  but  there  has  generally  been  some  pre 
cursor  to  impending  dissolution,  or  some  struggle  with  the 
mighty  conqueror,  after  reason  is  dethroned,  and  the  ultimate 
victory  of  the  grave  is  rendered  certain.  The  bar  in  our  coun 
try  would  seem  to  have  experienced  their  full  share  in  this  sum 
mary  process  of  arrest  by  the  king  of  terrors.  Some  of  the 
noblest  intellects  which  have  ever  enlightened  and  adorned  this 
or  any  other  country,  have  been  in  a  moment  scathed  and 
withered,  as  by  the  lightning  of  heaven.  The  polished  and 
eloquent  Pinckney  died  in  this  manner;  but  he  survived  the 
blow  several  days,  we  believe  nearly  a  week,  after  exhausting 
himself  in  a  powerful  argument.  The  erudite  and  accomplished 
Emmet,  when  attacked,  was  sitting  at  the  table  of  the  bar  tak 
ing  notes,  and,  when  blasted  by  the  stroke  of  death,  his  head  fell 
on  the  table.  He  was  removed  alive  from  the  court-house,  and 
survived  several  hours.  Mr.  Webster  was  speaking,  standing 
erect,  on  a  plain  floor,  the  house  full,  and  the  court,  and  jurors, 
and  auditors  intently  listening  to  his  words,  with  all  their  eyes 
fastened  upon  him.  Speaking  with  full  force,  and  perfect  utter 
ance,  he  arrived  at  the  end  of  one  branch  of  his  argument.  He 
closed  that  branch,  uttered  the  last  sentence,  and  the  last  word 
of  that  sentence,  with  perfect  tone  and  emphasis,  and  then,  in 
an  instant,  erect,  and  with  arms  depending  by  his  side,  he  fell 
backward,  without  bending  a  joint,  and,  so  far  as  appeared,  was 
dead  before  his  head  reached  the  floor.  How  unsearchable  are 
the  judgments  of  God,  and  his  ways  past  finding-  out! 

The  character  of  Mr.  Ezekiel  Webster,  like  that  of  his  brother, 
will,  however,  be  better  displayed  by  his  own  writings  than  by 
any  description  or  analysis  by  another ;  and  they  form,  of  them 
selves,  the  best  eulogy  upon  his  name  and  memory. 


PERSONAL  REMINISCENCES 


OF 


DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE. 


THE  following  letters  were  written  by  Mr.  Webster's  early  friends  and  class 
mates,  in  answer  to  specific  inquiries  respecting  his  student  life,  addressed  to 
them  soon  after  his  decease,  by  Prof.  E.  D.  Sanborn,  wh*  has  kindly  furnished 
them  to  the  Editor  for  publication. 


PERSONAL  REMINISCENCES. 


REV.    E.    SMITH    TO    PROF.    SANBORN. 

Pomfret,  Vt.,  November  10,  1852. 

DEAR  SIR, — Yours  of  the  10th  instant  was  received  last  even 
ing,  and  I  hasten  to  reply.  More  than  fifty  years  have  elapsed 
since  the  events  you  allude  to  transpired ;  many  facts,  therefore, 
which  would  be  interesting,  are  lost. 

With  respect  to  Daniel  Webster's  college  life,  his  habits  of 
study  were  good.  He  was  a  strict  observer  of  order.  His  mind 
was  too  dignified  to  do  otherwise.  He  never  engaged  in  college 
disturbances.  I  should  as  soon  have  suspected  John  Wheelock, 
the  President,  of  improper  conduct  as  Daniel  Webster.  He 
looked  with  contempt  on  all  lawless  projects.  I  never  knew 
him  to  waste  the  study  hours.  He  was  constant  at  the  recita 
tion,  and  always  well  prepared.  He  was  peculiarly  industrious. 
In  addition  to  college  studies,  he  read  more  than  any  one  in  his 
class.  He  read  with  great  rapidity,  and  seemed  to  remember 
all.  He  would  accomplish  more  labor,  in  a  given  time,  than  any 
one  of  his  classmates.  As  a  general  scholar,  Webster  was  good. 
He  was  not  deficient  in  a  single  study.  In  composition  and 
speaking,  there  was  not  his  equal  in  the  class.  The  truth  is, 
that,  by  his  thorough  investigation  of  every  subject  and  every 
study,  while  in  college,  by  the  aid  of  his  giant  mind,  he  rose  to 
the  very  pinnacle  of  fame ;  and  all  he  had  to  do  was  to  sustain 
himself  where  he  was,  and  fame  would  roll  in  upon  him ;  and  all 
his  classmates  have  been  compelled  to  look  up  high  to  see  him, 
which  I  have  ever  been  proud  to  do.  As  a  debater  in  our 
society,  he  manifested  the  same  talent  and  the  same  powers  of 
intellect,  in  a*  degree,  which  he  afterwards  exhibited  in  public 


46  PERSONAL    REMINISCENCES    OF 

life.  He  was  in  the  habit  of  writing  his  own  declamations  for 
the  stage,  though  not  required  to  do  so,  by  the  laws  of  the  college. 
He  was  accustomed  to  arrange  his  thoughts  in  his  mind  in  his 
room  or  private  walks,  and  put  them  upon  paper  just  before 
the  exercise  was  called  for.  When  he  was  required  to  speak,  at 
two  o'clock,  he  would  frequently  begin  to  write  after  dinner; 
and  when  the  bell  rung,  he  would  fold  his  paper,  put  it  into  his 
pocket,  and  go  in  and  speak  with  great  ease.  At  one  time, 
when  thus  writing,  his  windows  being  open,  a  sudden  flaw  of 
wind  took  away  his  paper,  and  it  was  last  seen  flying  over  the 
meeting-house ;  but  he  went  in  and  spoke  its  contents  with 
remarkable  fluency.  In  his  Sophomore  year,  I  heard  him  speak 
a  piece  of  poetry,  before  his  class,  which  displayed  great  inge 
nuity.  Every  line  ended  in  i-o-n.  It  was  said  to  be  his  own 
composition.  In  his  movements,  he  was  rather  slow  and  delib 
erate,  except  when  his  feelings  were  roused;  then,  his  whole 
soul  would  kindle  into  a  flame.  I  recollect  that  he  used  to  com 
mence  speaking  rather  monotonously  and  without  much  excite 
ment,  but  would  always  rise,  with  the  importance  of  the  subject, 
till  every  eye  was  fixed  upon  him.  In  social  life,  he  was  always 
pleasant  and  agreeable.  His  company  was  sought  by  all 
classes.  He  always  attended  public  worship,  on  the  Sabbath, 
and  evidently  felt  that  it  was  his  duty  to  do  so.  Many  idle 
stories  have  been  circulated  respecting  Webster's  tearing  op 
his  diploma.  Of  this  I  have  no  knowledge.  I  have  no  doubt 
that  the  report  is  false.  I  stood  by  his  side,  when  he  received 
his  degree,  with  a  graceful  bow ;  and  such  was  my  connection 
with  him,  in  our  society  affairs,  that  if  he  had  destroyed  it  after 
wards,  I  certainly  should  have  known  it.  I  think  that  he 
delivered  two  eulogies  on  deceased  classmates ;  one  in  his  Fresh 
man,  and  one  in  his  Senior  year.  The  latter  was  published. 
As  these  appointments  were  made  by  his  class,  they  show  in 
what  estimation  he  was  held  by  them.  His  election  by  the 
faculty  and  citizens  of  Hanover,  to  deliver  an  oration  on  the 
Fourth  of  July,  1800,  also  indicates  their  opinion  of  his  scholar 
ship  and  attainments.  I  will  only  add  that,  in  all  his  intercourse 
with  students  and  townsmen,  no  one,  then,  presumed  to  bring  a 
railing  accusation  against  him. 

Yours  truly, 

EL'IHU  SMITH. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  47 


HON.  HENRY  HUBBARD  TO  PROF.  SANBORN. 

Charlestown,  November  15,  1852. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  regret  that  my  absence  from  home  has  pre 
vented  an  earlier  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  10th  instant.  With 
the  greatest  pleasure  I  shall  comply  with  your  request,  as  far  as 
I  am  able  to  recall  the  facts  connected  with  Mr.  Webster's  col 
lege  history.  I  entered  the  Freshman  class  in  1799,  at  the  early 
age  of  fourteen.  I  was  two  years  in  college  with  Mr.  Webster. 
When  I  first  went  to  Hanover,  I  found  his  reputation  already 
established  as  the  most  remarkable  young  man  in  the  college. 
He  was,  I  believe,  so  decidedly  beyond  any  one  else,  that  no 
other  student  of  his  class  was  ever  spoken  of  as  second  to  him. 
I  was  led  very  soon  to  appreciate,  most  highly,  his  scholarship 
and  attainments.  As  a  student,  his  acquisitions  seemed  to  me 
to  be  very  extensive.  Every  subject  appeared  to  contribute 
something  to  his  intellectual  stores.  He  acquired  knowledge 
with  remarkable  facility.  He  seemed  to  grasp  the  meaning  and 
substance  of  a  book  almost  by  intuition.  Others  toiled  long 
and  patiently  for  that  which  he  acquired  at  a  glance.  As  a 
scholar,  I  should  say  that  he  was  then  distinguished  for  the 
uncommon  extent  of  his  knowledge,  and  for  the  ease  with  which 
he  acquired  it.  But  I  should  say  that  I  was  more  impressed  by 
his  eloquence  and  power  as  a  speaker,  before  the  society  of 
which  we  were  both  members,  than  by  his  other  qualifications, 
however  superior  to  others.  There  was  a  completeness  and 
fulness  in  his  views,  and  a  force  and  expressiveness  in  his  man 
ner  of  presenting  them,  which  no  other  student  possessed.  We 
used  to  listen  to  him  with  the  deepest  interest  and  respect,  and 
no  one  thought  of  equalling  the  vigor  and  glow  of  his  eloquence. 
The  oration  which  he  delivered  before  the  United  Fraternity,  on 
the  day  of  his  graduation  is,  I  think,  now  on  file  among  the 
records  of  that  society.  Whoever  will  read  it,  at  this  late  day, 
and  bring  to  mind  the  appearance  of  the  author,  his  manner  and 
power,  during  its  delivery,  cannot  fail  to  admit  that  I  have  said 
no  more  of  his  eloquence  than  I  was  warranted  in  saying.  The 
students,  and  those  who  knew  him  best  and  judged  him  most 
impartially,  felt  that  no  one  connected  with  the  college  deserved 
to  be  compared  with  him  at  the  time  he  received  his  first  degree. 


48  PERSONAL    REMINISCENCES   OF 

His  habits  and  moral  character  were  entirely  unimpeachable.  1 
never  heard  them  questioned  during  our  college  acquaintance. 
I  have  written  the  honest  convictions  of  my  mind,  the  best  feel 
ings  of  my  heart,  respecting  a  man,  now  no  more,  who  was 
distinguished  as  a  scholar,  in  college,  and  equally  distinguished, 
in  his  whole  subsequent  life,  in  every  sphere  and  station  which 
he  was  called  to  fill. 

I  am,  Sir,  very  truly  your  friend, 

HENRY  HUBBARD. 


MR.   HILL    TO    PROF.    SANBORN. 

Hanover,  N.  H.,  November  25,  1852. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  was  a  pupil  of  Daniel  Webster  while  he  taught 
the  Academy  at  Fryeburg,  in  the  winter  and  summer  of  1802. 
During  that  short  season,  he  gained  the  universal  respect  of 
both  scholars  and  villagers;  and  the  regret  with  which  we 
parted  with  him  is  among  my  most  vivid  recollections  of  that 
period.  The  remarkable  equanimity  of  temper  which  he  ever 
manifested  in  school  was  a  matter  of  common  observation. 
Under  all  the  vexations  incident  to  such  a  school,  not  a  frown 
was  ever  seen  upon  his  brow.  It  was  his  invariable  practice  to 
open  and  close  the  school  with  extemporaneous  prayer ;  and 
I  shall  never  forget  the  solemnity  of  manner  with  which  that 
duty  was  always  performed.  He  delivered  an  oration  on  the 
Fourth  of  July  of  that  year,  and  the  only  sentence  which  has 
not  escaped  my  memory,  related  to  the  Constitution.  It  was 
this :  "  If  the  Constitution  be  picked  to  pieces,  piecemeal,  it  is 
gone,  as  surely  and  as  fatally  gone,  as  though  it  had  been 
struck  down  by  one  resistless  blow." 

Yours  truly, 

THOMAS  P.  HILL. 


J.   W.   M  GAW,   ESQ.,    TO    PROF.    SANBORN. 

Bangor,  November  16,  1852. 

DEAR  SIR, — Your  favor  of  the  12th  instant  is  before  me,  and 
1  take  great  pleasure  in  giving  you  such  reminiscences  of  my 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  49 

much  honored  friend,  the  late  Hon.  Daniel  Webster,  as  occur 
to  me. 

It  was  not  my  good  fortune  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  Mr. 
Webster,  until  he  became  a  member  of  Dartmouth  College ; 
and  then,  I  knew  him  only  in  his  vacations.  The  office  of  Hon. 
Thomas  W.  Thompson,  with  whom  I  read  law,  was  about 
twenty  rods  from  Judge  Webster's  dwelling-house.  Daniel 
called  occasionally  at  the  office,  to  spend  a  leisure  hour  with 
the  late  Parker  Noyes  and  myself,  who  were  fellow-students  for 
nearly  three  years.  On  one  of  those  occasions,  Mr.  Webster 
asked  me  if  I  saw  and  read  the  Dartmouth  Gazette ;  and  if  so, 
what  I  thought  of  Icarus,  whose  productions  sometimes  ap 
peared  in  that  paper.  My  criticisms  were  more  severe  than 
just.  Two  or  three  years  afterwards  he  informed  me  that  he 
was  the  veritable  Icarus.  His  victory  over  me  was  then  com 
plete. 

Mr.  Webster  commenced  the  study  of  laAV  in  Mr.  Thompson's 
office  soon  after  I  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  my  profes 
sion.  My  residence  was  at  Fryeburg  from  January,  1801,  to 
October,  1805.  Mr.  Webster  came  to  that  place  in  1802,  I 
think,  to  take  charge  of  the  academy.  During  his  residence 
there,  we  boarded  and  roomed  together.  Nearly  all  our  leisure 
hours  were  spent  together.  We  read,  conversed,  walked,  and 
had  all  our  social  amusements  in  company.  Here  was  laid  the 
foundation  of  that  friendship,  which,  by  his  generous  indulgence, 
has  remained  constant  and  uninterrupted  till  the  time  of  his 
death,  notwithstanding  the  very  great  changes  which  occurred 
in  our  relative  positions,  by  reason  of  his  constant  elevation, 
from  one  grade  of  honor  to  another,  till  he  attained  a  standing 
from  which  human  greatness  knows  no  progress.  I  will  now 
attempt  to  relate  some  facts  concerning  Mr.  Webster's  early 
history,  as  he  communicated  them  to  me.  The  incident  related 
by  Mr.  Everett,  in  his  Memoir  of  Mr.  Webster,  respecting  his 
elevation  to  a  higher  class,  at  the  end  of  the  first  month  at  the 
Academy  in  Exeter,  needs,  I  think,  a  little  correction  or  explana 
tion  in  order  to  present  its  most  important  bearing  upon  his 
future  life.  When  his  first  term  at  Exeter  was  near  its  close, 
the  usher  said :  "  Webster,  you  may  stop  a  few  minutes  after 
school ;  I  wish  to  speak  to  you."  When  the  other  scholars  had 
gone,  the  usher  asked  him  whether  he  intended  to  return  to  the 
VOL.  i.  5 


50  PERSONAL   REMINISCENCES    OF 

academy  after  the  vacation.  The  answer  indicated  something 
like  reluctance.  It  had  not  escaped  the  observation  of  the 
teacher,  that  Webster's  rustic  manners  and  unfashionable  rai 
ment  had  drawn  upon  him  the  ridicule  of  some  of  his  associates, 
who  in  every  respect,  except  habiliments  and  external  accom 
plishments,  were  greatly  his  inferiors.  The  inference  was  justly 
drawn  that  the  academy  was  in  danger  of  losing  an  estimable 
and  promising  pupil,  while  it  retained  others  who  gave  no  prom 
ise  of  doing  honor  to  that  distinguished  seminary.  The  usher, 
therefore,  judiciously  and  kindly  remarked  to  Mr.  Webster,  that 
he  was  a  much  better  scholar  than  any  in  his  class ;  that  he 
learned  more  readily  and  easily  than  they  did  ;  and  if  he  would 
return  at  the  commencement  of  the  next  term  he  should  be 
put  into  a  higher  class,  and  should  no  longer  be  hindered  in  his 
progress  by  those  boys  who  cared  more  for  play  and  dress  than 
for  solid  improvement.  "  These  were  the  first  truly  encouraging 
words,"  said  Mr.  Webster,  "  that  I  ever  received,  with  regard  to 
my  studies.  I  then  resolved  to  return  and  pursue  them  with 
diligence  and  with  so  much  ability  as  I  possessed."  Probably 
the  kindness  and  good  judgment  of  the  usher  had  an  important 
influence  upon  the  whole  course  of  Mr.  Webster's  after  life. 

When  Mr.  Webster  resided  at  Fryeburg,  he  had  not  attained 
to  the  full  development  of  manhood.  Neither  the  physical  nor 
intellectual  expression  of  his  countenance  had  become  so  strik 
ing  as  in  subsequent  life.  His  cheeks  were  thin  and  his  cheek 
bones  prominent.  There  was  nothing  specially  noticeable  about 
him  then,  except  his  full,  steady,  large,  and  searching  eyes. 
Nobody  could  see  those  eyes  and  ever  forget  their  appearance  or 
him  who  possessed  them.  His  gentleness,  modesty,  and  social 
habits  won  for  him  the  good-will  of  his  acquaintances  and 
pupils.  The  reading  of  Mr.  Webster,  at  Fryeburg,  was  chiefly 
English  literature ;  such  as  Pope's  Works,  all  of  wrhich  he  read 
at  that  time.  He  was  much  amused  with  the  Dunciad.  The 
Spectator,  Tatler,  &c.,  were  among  the  books  procured  from  a 
small  village  library.  These  were  read  aloud,  alternately,  by 
himself  and  room-mate.  He  read  Blackstone's  Commentaries 
when  no  company  was  present. 

I  never  heard  him  speak  of  any  embarrassments  in  his  at 
tempts  at  declamation,  and  think  it  could  only  have  existed, 
while  he  was  annoyed  by  idle  and  envious  boys,  at  Exeter 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  51 

Academy.  At  this  period  of  his  life,  (1802,)  Mr.  Webster  did 
not  entertain  any  adequate  expectations  of  his  future  eminence ; 
or,  if  he  had  such  expectations,  they  were  entirely  concealed,  as 
appears  from  the  following  anecdote.  Speaking  of  his  future 
prospects  in  life,  he  remarked,  that,  if  ever  he  should  attain  in 
his  profession,  to  the  standing  of  a  certain  young  lawyer,  whom 
he  named,  whose  merit  consisted  more  in  an  easy  and  ready 
mode  of  argument,  than  in  sound  learning,  he,  Mr.  Webster, 
would  have  reached  his  highest  elevation.  The  sincerity  of  this 
statement  was  questioned,  on  the  ground  that  his  scholarship  in 
college  had  always  been  universally  allowed  to  be  of  the  highest 
grade,  which  was  not  true  of  the  gentleman  alluded  to.  "  Ay," 
said  he,  "but  the  opinion  of  my  scholarship  was  a  mistaken 
one.  It  was  overestimated.  I  will  explain  what  I  mean.  Many 
other  students  read  more  than  I  did  and  knew  more  than  I  did. 
But  so  much  as  I  read,  I  made  my  own.  When  a  half  hour  or 
an  hour,  at  most,  had  elapsed,  I  closed  my  book  and  thought 
over  what  I  had  read.  If  there  was  anything  peculiarly  inter 
esting  or  striking  in  the  passage,  I  endeavored  to  recall  it  and 
lay  it  up  in  my  memory,  and  commonly  could  effect  my  object 
Then,  if  in  debate  or  conversation  afterwards,  any  subject  came 
up  on  which  I  had  read  something,  I  could  talk  very  easily  so  far 
as  I  had  read,  and  then  I  was  very  careful  to  stop.  Thus,  greater 
credit  was  given  me  for  extensive  and  accurate  knowledge  than 
I  really  possessed."  At  other  times,  also,  Mr.  Webster  made 
remarks  indicating  moderate  expectations  of  his  eminence  in 
future  life. 

When  Mr.  Webster  had  been  admitted  to  the  bar,  he  attended, 
among  other  courts,  those  of  Grafton  county.  A  man  who  had 
once  labored  for  Judge  Webster,  was  for  some  cause  confined 
in  jail,  at  Haverhill.  While  there,  he  murdered  a  fellow  pris 
oner.  He  had  engaged  the  late  Hon.  P.  Sprague,  a  distin 
guished  lawyer  and  advocate,  to  defend  him.  Mr.  Webster 
went  into  the  jail,  during  the  session  of  the  court,  to  see  the 
prisoner,  who  had  been  a  servant  of  his  father.  He  was  requested 
by  him  to  render  what  aid  he  could  to  Mr.  Sprague,  at  the  trial. 
He  consented  to  do  so.  The  evidence  of  the  prisoner's  guilt 
was  so  palpable  and  conclusive,  that  Mr.  Sprague  refused  to 
make  an  argument  in  his  defence.  In  this  emergency,  the  un 
practised  youth  did  not  shrink  from  the  duty ;  but  the  greatness 


52  PERSONAL  REMINISCENCES   OF 

of  the  occasion,  to  wit,  the  life  or  death  of  a  human  being, 
seemed  almost  to  add  inspiration  to  his  native  powers  of  mind. 
He  made  an  argument  of  such  wonderful  force  and  ingenuity, 
that  all  who  heard  were  astonished.  The  eminently  learned 
and  accomplished  Judge  Smith  was  then  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Superior  Court  of  New  Hampshire.  He  is  said  to  have  been 
more  lavish  of  his  encomiums  upon  the  young  advocate,  than  he 
had  ever  been  known  to  be  with  regard  to  any  other  gentleman. 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  incidents  that  occur  to  my  mind  respect 
ing  Mr.  Webster's  early  life.  Some  of  these  you  may  possibly 
make  use  of  in  your  eulogy  of  Mr.  Webster. 

Very  sincerely  and  respectfully  your  friend  and  servant, 

JACOB  W.  McGAW. 


REV.    BROWN    EMERSON    TO    PROF.    SANBORN. 

Salem,  November  19,  1852. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Time  has  obliterated  many  facts  from  my 
memory,  relative  to  Hon.  Daniel  Webster,  which  might  be 
interesting  to  the  students  of  Dartmouth  College.  Having  been 
with  him  for  three  years  of  his  student  life,  and  associated  with 
him  in  the  same  literary  society,  the  United  Fraternity,  I  had 
an  opportunity  to  know  more  of  him  than  many  others.  You 
inquire  respecting  his  habits  of  order,  punctuality,  and  prepara 
tion  for  his  recitations.  On  these  points,  some  of  the  surviving 
members  of  his  class  can  give  you  more  particular  information. 
As  a  classical  and  belles-lettres  scholar,  and  as  a  speaker  and  de 
bater,  he  stood  far  above  all  the  other  members  of  the  college. 
Though  young,  he  gave  such  unequivocal  evidence  of  superior 
genius,  that  some,  I  recollect,  predicted  his  future  eminence. 
The  powers  of  his  mind  were  remarkably  displayed  by  the  com 
pass  and  force  of  his  arguments  in  extemporaneous  debates  at 
the  meetings  of  our  literary  society.  At  that  early  day,  the 
clearness  of  his  reasonings,  connected  with  his  aspect  and  man 
ner,  produced  an  almost  irresistible  impression  upon  his  hearers. 
His  large,  black,  piercing  eye,  peering  out  under  dark,  overhang 
ing  brows;  his  broad,  intellectual  forehead;  the  solemn  tones  of 
his  voice ;  the  dignity  of  his  mien,  with  an  earnestness  by  which 
he  seemed  to  throw  his  whole  great  soul  into  his  subject,  evin- 


DANIEL   WEBSTER,  53 

cing  the  sincerity  of  his  belief  that  the  cause  he  advocated  was 
that  of  truth  and  justice ;  all  these  created  a  power  of  eloquence 
which  few  could  resist ;  and  which,  in  the  maturity  of  his  life, 
neither  judge  nor  jury  could  withstand,  giving  him  success  as 
an  advocate,  which,  in  our  country,  is  without  a  parallel.  I 
was  not  much  acquainted  with  his  brother  Ezekiel ;  but  I  well 
remember  his  fine  personal  appearance,  and  that  some  then 
thought  his  talents  superior  to  Daniel's. 

With  much  respect  and  esteem,  yours, 

BROWN  EMERSON. 


MR.  FARRAR  TO  PROF.  SANBORN. 

Derry,  November  25,  1852. 

DEAR  SIR, — In  answer  to  your  inquiries,  I  give  you  my  recol 
lections  of  Daniel  Webster's  early  life.  I  was  in  the  class 
before  him.  Mr.  Webster,  Freeborn  Adams,  my  brother  Wil 
liam  and  myself,  roomed  at  my  father's  house,  during  the  first 
two  years  of  his  college  course.  Webster  very  early  showed 
that  he  possessed  talents  of  the  first  order.  He  was  one  of  the 
best  in  his  class  as  a  linguist.  He  acquired  knowledge  with 
little  labor.  He  read  much.  His  memory  was  very  retentive. 
By  reading  twenty  or  more  pages  of  poetry,  twice  over,  I  have 
heard  him  repeat  it  almost  verbatim.  He  was  much  in  the 
habit  of  extemporaneous  speaking.  His  favorite  reading  was 
general  history  and  philosophy.  He  was  a  strict  observer  of 
the  Sabbath,  and  a  careful  reader  of  the  Bible  and  religious 
books.  He  possessed  talents  rarely  found  in  union,  a  good 
judgment  and  a  retentive  memory.  His  social  qualities  were 
highly  attractive.  Even  when  a  youth,  he  absorbed  the  atten 
tion  of  all  present  by  his  agreeable  conversation.  He  was 
pleasant  without  ostentation.  He  enjoyed  gunning  and  fishing; 
though  he  spent  but  little  time  in  those  recreations.  When 
abroad  on  any  excursion,  a  volume  of  poetry,  from  his  pocket, 
would  often  engross  his  attention.  During  one  of  the  last 
years  of  his  college  life,  he  was  chosen  orator  for  the  Fourth 
of  July,  and  delivered  an  oration  before  the  Faculty  and  stu 
dents  of  the  college  and  the  citizens  of  Hanover,  which  was 
published.  Yours  respectfully, 

5*  GEORGE  FARRAR. 


PERSONAL   REMINISCENCES   OF 


REV.    GEORGE    T.    CHAPMAN    TO    PROF.    SANBORN. 

Newburyport,  January  25,  1853. 

DEAR  SIR, — In  answer  to  your  favor  of  the  7th  instant,  I 
have  to  remark,  that  all  my  recollections  of  Ezekicl  Webster 
are  of  a  gratifying  character.  In  the  senior  year,  we  occupied 
rooms  opposite  to  each  other,  in  a  building  directly  north  of  the 
college.  I  am  therefore  enabled  to  state,  from  intimate  personal 
acquaintance,  that  he  was  altogether  exemplary  in  his  habits  and 
faithful  in  his  studies.  He  had  no  enemies,  and  all  were  happy 
to  be  numbered  in  the  list  of  his  friends.  Owing  to  his  absence 
in  teaching  school,  no  part  was  assigned  him  at  Commencement. 
But  I  have  no  doubt  he  stood  high  in  the  estimation  of  the 
college  faculty;  and  although  I  should  hesitate  to  pronounce 
him  the  first  scholar  in  his  class,  it  would  be  doing  injustice  to 
his  memory  to  say  that  he  was  excelled  by  either  of  those  who 
received  the  highest  college  honors  on  the  day  of  our  gradua 
tion.  It  has  been  recently  stated,  that  he  was  particularly  dis 
tinguished  for  his  knowledge  of  Greek ;  but  I  cannot  now  recall 
the  circumstance  to  mind ;  nor,  in  fact,  make  any  discrimination 
as  to  relative  proficiency  in  the  several  branches  of  study.  He 
was  deficient  in  none.  He  was  good  in  all.  Such,  at  least,  is 
my  recollection  of  the  reputation  he  enjoyed.  After  leaving 
college,  from  all  that  I  have  heard,  he  obtained  a  greater  degree 
of  eminence,  in  the  eye  of  the  public,  than  any  of  his  classmates ; 
and  when  I  revert  to  college  days,  after  the  lapse  of  almost  half 
a  century,  all  my  recollections  of  what  he  then  was,  cause  me 
to  feel  no  surprise  at  the  subsequent  elevation  which  he 
attained. 

Very  truly  yours, 

G.  T.  CHAPMAN. 


MR.    BINGHAM    TO    PROF.    SANBORN. 

Washington,  D.  C.,  November  25,  1852. 

DEAR  SIR, — Your  favor  of  the  12th  instant,  requesting  facts 
respecting  Mr.  Webster's  student  life,  was  duly  received.     Your 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  55 

inference  from  the  letters  that  you  have  seen  from  me  to  Daniel 
Webster,  when  we  were  boys  together,  "that  there  was  a 
peculiar  intimacy  between  us,"  was  very  justly  drawn  ;  although 
I  have  now  scarcely  the  slightest  recollection  of  what  I  may 
have  communicated,  in  those  letters  of  my  youthful  days,  and 
at  a  time  when,  in  consequence  of  that  intimacy,  we  used  to 
unbosom  ourselves  to  each  other,  with  all  the  ardor  and  con 
fidence  of  true  friendship.  Our  first  acquaintance  was  at  the 
academy,  at  Exeter,  in  1796.  I  went  there,  in  July  of  that 
year,  and  found  him  there.  He  was  then  a  lad  of  about  four 
teen  years,  attending  to  English  grammar,  arithmetic,  &c., 
always  very  prompt  and  correct  in  his  recitations.  He  had  an 
independent  air  and  was  rather  careless  in  his  dress  and  appear 
ance,  but  showed  an  intelligent  look.  He  did  not  join  much  in 
the  plays  and  amusements  of  the  boys  of  his  age,  but  paid  close 
attention  to  his  studies.  He  left,  in  the  fall  of  that  year,  and  I 
believe  soon  became  a  pupil  of  Dr.  Wood,  of  Boscawen,  and 
there  fitted  for  college,  and  entered,  August,  1797.  I  remained 
at  Exeter  till  July,  1798,  then  entered  the  Freshman  class  in 
Dartmouth  College,  where  I  found  Daniel  Webster.  An  inti 
macy  increased  between  us  from  that  time  till  we  left  college  ; 
and  indeed  till  we  both  became  settled  in  business,  and  so  much 
engaged  in  our  several  vocations  that  we  eeemed  to  have  no 
time  or  opportunity  to  continue  our  former  correspondence ; 
although,  in  our  occasional  business  communications,  we  would 
regret  its  interruption  and  make  new  resolutions. 

Daniel  Webster's  habits  in  college  were  good.  He  had  the 
highest  sense  of  honor  and  integrity.  He  was  sure  to  under 
stand  the  subject  of  his  recitation ;  sometimes,  I  used  to  think, 
in  a  more  extended  and  comprehensive  sense  than  his  teachers. 
He  never  liked  to  be  confined  to  small  technicalities  or  views ; 
but  seemed  to  possess  an  intuitive  knowledge  of  whatever 
subject  he  was  considering.  He  did  not  find  it  necessary,  as 
was  the  case  with  most  of  us,  to  sit  down  to  hard  work  three 
or  four  hours  to  make  himself  master  of  his  lesson,  but  seemed 
to  comprehend  it  in  a  larger  view,  and  would  sometimes  procure 
other  books  on  the  same  subject,  for  further  examination,  and 
employ  hours  in  close  thought,  either  in  his  room  or  in  his  walk, 
which  would  enlarge  his  views,  and  might  at  the  same  time, 
with  some,  give  him  the  character  of  not  being  a  close  student. 


56  PERSONAL   REMINISCENCES   OF 

He. was  a  favorite  with  the  class  generally;  interesting  and 
instructive  in  conversation;  social  and  very  kind  in  his  feelings; 
not  intimate  with  many.  His  compositions  and  college  themes, 
orations  in  the  society,  and  occasional  written  exercises,  all 
showed  the  marks  of  great  genius  and  great  familiarity  with 
history  and  politics,  for  one  of  his  years.  He  did  not  speak  on 
Commencement  day,  but  gave  a  very  fine  oration  before  the 
"  United  Fraternity."  He  gave,  a  short  time  before,  an  excellent 
eulogy  on  his  classmate,  Simonds,  of  whom  he  speaks  in  a 
letter  to  me  dated  at  Salisbury,  June  14,  1801,  as  follows: 
"  Dear  Hervey, — My  first  business  is  to  inquire  about  Simonds. 
Oh,  that  I  could  be  assured  that  he  is  recovering!  but  perhaps 
this  is  a  happiness  never  to  be  allowed  us.  Let  our  prayers 
ascend  together  for  his  well  being,  whether  with  us  or  in  another 
world.  If  there  be  any  possible  way  of  communication,  pray 
let  me  hear  how  he  is."  And  in  another  letter,  in  October, 
1801,  in  answer  to  some  remark  I  made  on  the  subject,  in  a 
letter  to  him,  Mr.  Webster  says : — 

"  If  the  funeral  oration  be  thought  decent,  I  am  content ; 
equal  to  the  subject  it  is  not.  The  death  of  Simonds  was  a 
theme  on  which  the  first  writers  ought  to  be  proud  to  point 
their  pens.  Heimihi!  Qualiserat!" 

The  above  is  an  instance  of  the  kind  feelings  and  high  esti 
mation  which  Mr.  Webster  was  always  accustomed  to  exercise 
towards  those  whom  he  considered  true  and  worthy  friends.  I 
have  some  fifty  letters  from  him,  all  good,  and  some  superior, 
according  to  circumstances.  I  will  close  this  long  letter,  by 
copying  the  last  letter  received  by  me  from  Mr.  Webster,  in 
answer  to  a  request  that  he  would,  if  consistent  and  convenient, 
favor  me  with  his  influence  to  procure  some  place  for  me,  by 
which  I  could  obtain  a  comfortable  support  for  myself  and 
family.  It  is  as  follows  : — 

Washington,  February  5,  1849. 

MY  DEAR  OLD  CLASSMATE,  ROOM-MATE,  AND  FRIEND, — It  gives 
me  very  true  pleasure  to  hear  from  you,  and  to  learn  that 
you  are  well.  Years  have  not  abated  my  affectionate  regard. 
We  have  been  boys  together,  and  men  together,  and  now,  are 
growing  old  together ;  but  you  always  occupy  the  same  place 
in  my  remembrance  and  good  wishes.  You  are  still  James 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  57 

Hervey  Bingham,  with  your  old  bass  viol,  with  "  Lam  Deo " 
painted  upon  it ;  I  hope  you  have  it  yet ;  and  I  am  the  same 
Daniel  Webster,  whom  you  have  known,  at  Exeter,  at  Lemp- 
ster,  at  Charlestown,  at  Salisbury,  at  Alstead,  at  Portsmouth, 
Claremont,  Boston,  and  "Washington.  And  now,  my  dear 
friend,  after  this  retrospective  glimpse,  let  me  say,  that  I  know 
nothing  of  those  who  are  coming  into  power;  that  I  expect 
to  possess  no  particular  influence  or  association  with  them ; 
but  that,  if  any  occasion  arises  in  which  I  can  be  useful  to  you, 
you  can  command  my  most  attentive  services. 

Will  you  please  give  my  love  to  a  lady,  whom  I  had  once  the 
honor  of  knowing  as  Miss  Charlotte  Kent. 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

Such  was  the  letter.  /  consider  it  the  most  elegant  and  com 
prehensive  document  that  was  ever  embraced  in  the  same  small 
space.  By  the  "  attentive  services,"  promised  in  that  letter,  I 
hold  my  place  here,  and  hope  the  influence  may  continue  through 
the  next  administration,  if  I  should  live  to  need  the  benefits  of  it. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  friend  and  servant, 

JAMES  H.  BINGHAM. 


REV.  S.  OSGOOD  TO  PROF.  SANBORN. 

Springfield,  December  5,  1852. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  received  your  letter  of  the  1st  instant,  enclosing 
one  of  mine  to  my  old  friend,  Daniel  Webster.  I  deeply  regret 
that  I  have  not  preserved  any  of  his  letters  to  me,  except  two 
that  I  received  from  him  after  he  became  Secretary  of  State. 
Mr.  Webster  was  an  early  and  dear  friend  of  mine,  and  con 
tinued  his  friendship  to  the  last.  A  few  months  before  his 
decease,  he  sent  me  one  of  his  speeches,  superscribed,  "  For  my 
old,  long  tried,  and  highly  valued  friend,  Rev.  Dr.  Osgood."  I 
have  no  doubt  that  he  felt  all  that  he  expressed ;  for  he  had  uni 
formly  treated  me  with  respect  and  affection ;  he  always  called 
on  me  when  he  stopped  in  this  place,  and  often  invited  me  to 
visit  him  at  his  home.  He  came  to  Fryeburg  in  1802,  and  took 
charge  of  the  academy,  boarding  in  my  father's  family.  As  I 
was  so  near  his  age  and  had  nearly  closed  my  preparation  to 


58  PERSONAL   REMINISCENCES   OF 

enter  college,  at  an  advanced  standing,  we  soon  contracted  an 
intimate  friendship,  which  was  mutually  preserved  amidst  all 
the  changes  of  our  lives.  You  ask :  "  Was  he  grave  or  gay ; 
serious  or  trifling  ?  "  I  answer  :  he  was  always  dignified  in  his 
deportment.  He  was  usually  serious,  but  often  facetious  and 
pleasant.  He  was  an  agreeable  companion,  and  eminently 
social  with  all  who  shared  his  friendship.  He  was  greatly 
beloved  by  all  who  knew  him.  His  habits  were  strictly  abste 
mious,  and  he  neither  took  wine  nor  strong  drink.  He  was  punc 
tual  in  his  attendance  upon  public  worship,  and  ever  opened  his 
school  with  prayer.  I  never  heard  him  use  a  profane  word,  and 
never  saw  him  lose  his  temper.  He  was  at  that  time  in 
straitened  circumstances,  and  paid  his  board  by  copying  deeds 
for  my  father,  who  was  register  for  the  county.  He  spent  all 
the  time  he  could  save  from  labor  and  necessary  recreation  in 
study  and  in  meditation  in  the  fields.  He  was  very  fond  of  this 
kind  of  relaxation ;  and  many  were  the  rambles  which  we  took 
together.  While  at  Fryeburg,  he  delivered  an  oration  on  the 
Fourth  of  July,  which  was  greatly  admired  by  the  Federal  party 
and  much  disliked  by  the  Democratic ;  but  it  had  great  merit 
and  was  a  finished  production.  I  frequently  saw  him  after  I  was 
settled  in  the  ministry.  I  spent  some  hours  with  him,  at  his  own 
house,  in  Portsmouth,  soon  after  his  marriage  with  Miss  Fletcher. 
At  that  time,  his  religious  sentiments  corresponded  with  my  own. 
In  Dorchester,  he  attended  Dr.  Codman's  church,  and  was  punc 
tually  present  at  two  services.  When  he  passed  a  Sabbath  in 
Springfield,  he  seldom  went  to  any  other  church  than  ours.  Mr. 
Howard  informed  me  that  he  once  called  on  Mr.  Webster,  while 
here,  to  conduct  him  to  the  sanctuary.  When  they  left  the 
hotel,  Mr.  Howard  said :  "  Now  I  will  go  wherever  you  desire 
to  go."  Mr.  Webster  said :  "  I  think  I  will  go  and  hear  my  old 
pupil."  He  never  spent  but  one  Sabbath  here  after  that.  It 
was  our  Communion,  and  he  partook  with  us.  I  have  thus 
hastily  answered  all  your  inquiries. 

With  much  respect, 

SAMUEL  OSGOOD. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  59 


MR.  PETTENGILL,  TO  PROF.  SANBORN. 

Salisbury,  January  14,  1853. 

DEAR  SIR, — From  boyhood  to  manhood,  and  from  manhood 
to  the  termination  of  their  lives,  I  knew  the  brothers,  Ezekiel 
and  Daniel  Webster  well ;  and  I  regret  that  I  am  not  able  to 
recollect  more  incidents  of  their  early  days.  Few  of  the  con 
temporaries  of  Ezekiel  and  myself,  and  few,  indeed,  of  our  class 
mates  remain  to  tell  the  story  of  the  life  of  my  departed  friend, 
or  record  his  virtues.  Most  of  our  classmates  have  entered  the 
portals  of  the  unseen  world,  and  have  left  only  some  ten  or 
twelve,  out  of  thirty-four,  treading  the  vestibule.  I  understand 
from  the  tenor  of  your  letter,  that  a  somewhat  minute  account 
of  your  father-in-law  is  desired,  as  also  his  standing  in  college 
and  his  character  as  a  citizen  and  a  man.  My  relation  must 
necessarily  be  minute  and  circumstantial,  if  I  aim  to  inform  or 
interest  you ;  and  some  particulars,  I  well  know,  may  be  con 
sidered  trifling  and  unessential  to  general  readers,  and  especially 
to  those  who  were  strangers  to  my  esteemed  friend. 

Of  his  father,  Hon.  Ebenezer  Webster,  I  have  a  perfect  recol 
lection,  as  to  form  and  features.  His  stature  was  nearly  six 
feet.  He  was  compact,  robust,  and  well-proportioned,  and,  late 
in  life,  inclined  to  corpulency.  His  complexion  was  dark;  a 
broad  and  projecting  forehead ;  eyes  large,  black,  and  piercing, 
overshadowed  by  heavy  brows.  With  respect  to  intellect,  he 
was  a  perfect  example  of  a  strong-minded,  unlettered  man ;  of 
sound  common  sense,  correct  judgment,  and  tenacious  memory ; 
all  of  which  desirable  mental  qualities  were  for  him,  to  some 
extent,  a  substitute  for  education.  He  was  a  resolute,  deter 
mined  character,  and  never  easily  turned  from  his  purpose,  when 
once  convinced  that  it  was  right.  He  was  among  the  early 
settlers  of  Salisbury,  at  a  time  when  that  portion  of  the  country 
was  almost  a  wilderness ;  and  the  place  where  his  sturdy  arm 
first  felled  the  forest,  was  purchased,  some  two  or  three  years 
since,  by  his  son,  Hon.  Daniel  Webster.  •  It  is  situated  on  the 
North  Road,  so  called,  about  three  miles  from  Franklin  village, 
and  about  the  same  distance  from  the  East  meeting-house,  in 
Salisbury.  The  location  was  not  a  very  eligible  one  for  Judge 
Webster.  The  land  was  of  an  inferior  quality.  It  must  be 


60  PERSONAL   REMINISCENCES   OF 

recollected,  however,  that  when  he  first  became  a  settler  in 
Salisbury,  it  was  a  day  of  small  things.  He  was  poor,  and 
made  a  pitch,  as  they  called  it,  where  land  was  cheapest.  On 
this  spot,  beside  a  small  brook,  the  father  of  the  Websters  first 
erected  his  log  house,  the  foundations  of  which  are  still  visible ; 
and  in  this  place  his  sons  first  saw  the  light.  On  this  same 
brook,  in  the  course  of  three  or  four  years,  he  erected  a  small 
gristmill  for  the  accommodation  of  himself  and  his  neighbors. 
A  venerable  lady,  living  near  me,  now  eighty-seven  years  of  age, 
has  recently  informed  me,  that,  when  twelve  or  fourteen  years 
old,  she  was  often  sent  to  this  mill,  on  horseback,  with  a  grist, 
as  was  the  custom  of  those  days,  when  carriages  were  unknown. 
While  her  grist  was  grinding,  it  was  her  custom  to  visit  the 
family ;  and  she  has  a  perfect  recollection  of  Ezekiel  and  Daniel, 
then  small  boys.  She  also  informed  me  that  "  the  Captain,"  as 
he  was  styled,  a  few  years  later  erected  a  framed  house,  at  that 
day  called  "  a  saw-mill  house,"  from  its  resemblance  to  a  saw 
mill,  being  low,  long,  and  narrow.  In  this  house  he  and  his 
family  lived  many  years,  till  he  sold  and  removed  to  the  banks  of 
the  Merrimac,  now  Franklin,  to  the  house  which  he  occupied  at 
the  time  of  his  decease.  It  is  now  called  "  the  Webster  Place." 
Judge  Webster  was  much  in  town  business ;  for  many  years  in 
succession  he  was  chosen  moderator  in  the  town  meetings,  and 
one  of  the  Selectmen.  He  was  also  frequently  called  to  repre 
sent  the  town  of  Salisbury  in  the  Legislature.  He  was  an 
officer  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  commanded  a  company  at 
the  battle  of  Bennington.  A  sergeant  of  his  company  informed 
me  that  he  was  among  the  first  to  scale  the  Tory  breastwork,  as 
it  was  called ;  and  that,  when  he  came  out  of  the  battle,  he  was 
so  covered  with  dust  and  powder  that  he  could  scarcely  be 
recognized.  I  have  been  informed  that  the  Captain  often 
repeated,  with  much  pleasure  and  exultation,  the  laconic  address 
of  General  Stark,  previous  to  the  engagement.  With  the  mother 
of  Ezekiel,  I  was  partially  acquainted.  She,  like  her  husband, 
was  of  a  dark  complexion,  with  strongly  marked  features,  indica 
tive  of  a  strong  mind  and  sound  sense.  So  we  see,  that,  from 
both  parents,  the  sons  inherited  that  strength  of  intellect  which, 
in  after  life,  rendered  them  so  conspicuous.  The  well,  dug  by 
the  Judge,  in  the  early  days  of  his  pilgrimage,  near  the  log- 
cabin,  still  remains ;  and  both  of  his  distinguished  sons,  when- 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  61 

ever  they  visited  the  place  of  their  birth,  which  was  often,  made 
it  a  point  to  drink  from  "  the  old  oaken  bucket,"  in  remembrance 
of  the  days  of  their  childhood.  Of  Daniel  Webster,  I  need  not 
speak.  The  world  has  long  since  made  up  its  judgment  re 
specting  the  talents,  character,  and  virtues  of  this  eminent  states 
man  ;  and  any  additional  remarks  from  an  obscure  individual 
would  be  lost,  like  a  ripple  upon  the  bosom  of  old  ocean.  In 
accordance  with  your  request,  I  will  proceed  to  speak  of  Ezekiel 
Webster,  as  I  knew  him  in  youth  and  mature  age.  For  more 
than  twenty  years,  we  were  inhabitants  of  the  same  town,  and 
very  frequently  together.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  and  from  that 
time  to  the  day  of  his  sudden  death,  we  were  intimate  friends. 
His  form  and  features  are  still  present  to  my  mind's  eye ;  and 
could  I  command  the  chisel  of  a  Praxiteles,  I  could  transmit 
him  to  posterity,  as  I  saw  him  in  the  prime  of  life  and  the 
maturity  of  manhood.  His  height  was  about  that  of  his  father, 
nearly  six  feet.  He  was  an  improved  edition  of  his  father,  in 
form  and  features,  and  had  such  a  form  as  a  statuary,  without 
any  disparagement  to  his  art,  might  select  for  a  model.  His 
complexion  was  some  shades  lighter  than  that  of  his  father  or 
brother.  The  form  of  his  head  and  face  was  essentially  Grecian ; 
his  forehead  broad  and  elevated ;  his  eyes  large,  dark,  and  bril 
liant,  and  the  whole  contour  and  expression  of  his  countenance 
such  as  to  inspire  confidence  in  his  friends,  and  command 
respect  from  his  enemies,  if  he  had  any.  Many  years  before 
that  sad  and  sudden  stroke,  which  deprived  the  community  of 
his  talents  and  usefulness,  his  hair,  which  was  abundant,  became 
white  as  snow,  which  gave  him  a  venerable  appearance,  some 
years  in  advance  of  his  age.  All  who  saw  him  in  the  maturity 
of  his  manhood,  were  impressed  with  his  dignified  personal 
appearance  and  the  striking  expression  of  his  countenance. 
His  boyhood  and  youth,  till  the  age  of  about  twenty,  were  spent 
with  his  father,  in  agricultural  pursuits ;  and  in  manual  labor, 
he  is  said  to  have  excelled  most  of  his  competitors.  He  enjoyed 
in  early  life  only  the  advantages  of  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  town.  In  his  twentieth  year,  through  the  influence  of  his 
brother,  then  a  member  of  Dartmouth  College,  with  slender 
means, — for  his  father  was  not  affluent, — he  began  to  prepare  for 
college.  At  the  academy  in  Salisbury,  then  a  new  institution, 
and  something  of  a  novelty  in  that  part  of  the  country,  Ezekiel 
VOL.  i.  6 


62  PERSONAL   REMINISCENCES   OF 

Webster  commenced  his  preparatory  studies.  The  writer  was 
a  member  of  the  same  school  and  engaged  in  the  same  pursuits ; 
and  what  he  now  says  is  from  personal  knowledge.  Mr.  Web 
ster  had  previously  attained  to  a  competent  knowledge  of  Eng 
lish  grammar  and  arithmetic.  He  commenced,  at  Salisbury, 
with  the  Latin  grammar ;  all  the  necessary  parts  of  which  he 
dispatched  in  the  same  time  employed  by  ordinary  students  in 
learning  the  declensions  of  substantives.  His  mind  was  vigor 
ous,  his  memory  tenacious,  and  his  industry  incessant.  He 
therefore  mastered  ^Esop's  fables  in  Latin,  and  the  history  of 
Eutropius,  preparatory  classics  at  that  day,  with  great  ease  and 
expedition.  When  he  commenced  Virgil,  he  was  classed  with 
one  whom,  in  a  few  days,  he  left  far  in  the  rear,  to  plod  along 
as  best  he  might.  No  doubt  Webster's  progress  in  the  lan 
guage  appeared  to  his  tardy  companion  like  a  dream.  I  think 
that  he  attended  only  two  terms  at  this  school,  during  which 
time  he  read  the  ^Eneid,  besides  the  preparatory  books  above 
named,  and  a  part  of  the  four  Evangelists  in  Greek.  He  often 
read  three  or  four  hundred  lines  of  Virgil  at  a  lesson.  He 
finished  his  preparatory  studies  with  Dr.  Wood,  of  Boscawen. 
While  in  college,  he  ranked  with  the  first  in  his  class,  in  ail  the 
different  branches  at  that  time  taught  at  Dartmouth ;  and  was 
particularly  noted  for  his  industry,  sobriety,  and  regular  deport 
ment.  During  his  residence  at  college,  he  taught  schools  in  the 
winter  vacations.  One  of  his  schools  was  in  Salisbury,  in  the 
district  where  I  now  live.  He  had  charge  of  a  numerous  and 
disorderly  multitude  ;  and  from  his  known  character  for  firmness 
and  resolution,  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  trained,  governed,  and 
instructed  them  well.  For  the  last  half  of  his  senior  year,  he 
was  engaged  much  of  the  time  in  teaching  a  select  school  in 
Boston ;  impelled  to  do  so,  as  I  learned,  from  want  of  funds. 
When  he  came  on  for  examination,  it  was  expected  by  some 
that  he  would  be  found  in  arrears  ;  but  it  was  soon  ascertained 
that  he  had  lost  no  ground  and  was  able  to  compete  with  the 
best  of  them.  During  his  entire  college  course,  he  sustained  the 
reputation  of  a  regular,  industrious,  and  well-grounded  scholar, 
and  a  young  gentleman  of  good  habits  and  exemplary  morals ; 
and  what  was  of  equal  value,  and  told  much  in  his  favor,  he 
acquired  the  respect  and  love  of  his  class.  He  commenced  the 
practice  of  the  law  in  Boscawen,  in  1807,  in  the  office  that  had 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  63 

previously  been  occupied  by  his  brother,  Daniel.  On  the  Fourth 
of  July  of  that  year,  at  the  request  of  the  principal  inhabitants 
of  his  native  town  of  Salisbury,  he  delivered  an  oration,  which, 
for  sound  sense,  correct  reasoning,  beauty  of  style,  and  purity 
of  diction,  has  been  excelled  by  few  of  the  numerous  productions 
which  that  occasion  has  called  forth.  Whoever  has  read  that 
address  must  regret  that  so  few  of  the  products  of  his  pen  have 
been  given  to  the  world.  Indeed,  whatever  proceeded  from  his 
tongue  or  his  pen  bore  the  marks  of  a  sound  and  discriminating 
mind.  He  soon  attained  to  an  extensive  practice  in  his  profes 
sion  ;  and  his  standing  at  the  bar,  in  the  counties  of  Hills- 
borough  and  Grafton,  was  among  the  first ;  not  so  particularly  as 
an  advocate,  at  the  outset,  as  for  the  soundness  and  safety  of  his 
counsel.  He  was  well  grounded  in  the  principles  of  the  com 
mon  law,  which  enabled  him  as  it  were  by  intuition  to  seize 
upon  the  strong  points  of  his  case.  This  knowledge  he  used 
to  the  best  advantage,  and  often  to  the  discomfiture  of  his  oppo 
nents.  For  some  years  before  his  decease,  he  rose  to  eminence 
as  an  advocate  in  the  county  of  Merrimac,  where  I  doubt  if  he 
had  a  superior.  I  have  reason  to  know  that  his  brother  Daniel 
often  consulted  him,  not  only  on  difficult  points  of  law,  but 
upon  the  most  common  interests  of  life.  In  the  Legislature  of 
New  Hampshire,  in  which  he  often  sat,  his  candor,  moderation, 
and  good  sense,  obtained  for  him  the  same  respect  and  influence 
which  he  had  in  society,  wherever  he  was  known.  In  private 
life,  he  was  an  example  of  moral  rectitude;  sober,  studious, 
industrious,  and  contemplative.  In  the  relations  of  son,  brother, 
father,  and  husband,  his  example  is  worthy  of  aU  praise  and 
imitation.  He  was  fond  of  agriculture  and  horticulture.  His 
beautiful  grounds,  garden,  and  buildings,  on  Boscawen  Plain, 
were  a  proof  of  his  refined  taste  and  laudable  industry.  He 
took  a  lively  interest  in  agriculture,  and  his  townsmen  are  much 
indebted  to  him  for  improvements  in  various  branches  of  hus 
bandry.  Learning  and  religion  also  received  his  warm  and 
constant  support. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

THOMAS  H.  PETTENGILL. 


64  PERSONAL   REMINISCENCES   OF 


MR.  ABBOTT  TO  PROF.  SANBORN. 

Nashua,  February  5,  1853. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Your  favor,  asking  for  my  early  recollections 
of  Mr.  Webster,  was  duly  received,  and  has  remained  much  too 
long  unanswered.  I  have  sought  in  vain  to  find  a  file  of 
papers,  which  I  am  sure  I  laid  by  many  years  ago,  but  have 
failed  in  finding.  They  could  never  have  been  destroyed  by  me, 
nor  wittingly  by  any  of  my  household.  I  do  not  yet  despair  of 
putting  my  hand  on  them,  at  some  lucky  moment,  when  I  am 
not  seeking  for  them. 

My  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Webster  commenced  immediately 
after  his  graduation,  at  Dartmouth  College,  which  was  in  Au 
gust,  1801.  The  office  of  Mr.  Thompson,  with  whom  I  was 
then  reading  law,  was  situated  nearly  opposite  his  father's 
house.  As  there  were  but  few  companions  for  us  in  that  place, 
we  at  once  formed  a  friendship,  which  has  never  been  inter 
rupted.  In  his  earlier  days,  he  always  made  my  house  his  home, 
when  he  was  travelling  in  this  direction.  Mr.  Webster  remained 
at  home,  as  I  think,  till  about  the  1st  of  November  following, 
when  he  took  his  departure  for  his  school  in  Fryeburg,  on  horse 
back,  with  his  wardrobe  and  library  in  his  saddle-bags.  I 
accompanied  him  across  the  river,  where  we  shook  hands,  mutu 
ally  agreeing  to  correspond. 

Mr.  Thompson  had  an  extensive  library,  not  only  of  law  but 
of  history.  I  think  Mr.  Webster  occupied  himself  at  that  time 
more  with  the  latter  than  the  former,  but  he  was  always  busy 
at  something.  He  was  fond  of  hunting  and  fishing,  he  was  "  an 
excellent  shot"  then;  and  what  time  we  could  conveniently 
spare  from  the  office,  we  used  to  employ  in  ranging  the  neigh 
boring  woods  for  partridges,  quails,  squirrels,  &c. ;  and  the  pond, 
where  he  afterwards  kept  his  boat,  we  occasionally  visited  with 
great  success.  He  seemed  to  be  acquainted  with  everybody  in 
that  region,  and  always  had  a  pleasant  word  for  each. 

I  recollect  an  incident  which  showed  his  scrupulous  integrity. 
Mr.  Thompson  was  postmaster,  in  Salisbury,  while  I  was  in 
his  office.  In  his  absence,  I  had  the  entire  charge  of  it.  One 
morning  I  found  a  letter  on  the  desk,  addressed  to  his  brother 
Ezekiel,  at  Hanover,  marked  as  a  double  one.  When  I  took  it 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  65 

up  to  mail  it,  knowing  the  superscription  to  be  Daniel's,  1  said 
to  him,  if  you  had  not  marked  it  double,  I  never  should  have 
suspected  that  it  was  so.  "  I  thought  as  much,"  said  he,  "  but 
I  remembered  to  have  read  somewhere,  that  it  is  better  to  be 
honest,  than  to  appear  so."  At  this  time,  two  pieces  of  paper, 
however  small,  constituted  a  double  letter,  with  double  postage, 
which  to  Hanover  was  twenty  cents,  which  he  paid.  The  letter 
contained  only  a  twenty  dollar  bill,  which  he  was  sending  to  his 
brother.  This  was  done  when  money  was  very  scarce  with 
him. 

I  have  no  recollection  of  ever  meeting  Mr.  Webster  at  any 
boarding-house  or  public  room  on  the  Sabbath.  The  family 
were  all  strict  observers  of  the  Lord's  day.  He  almost  invari 
ably  attended  church,  which  was  four  miles  distant,  though  he 
generally  rode  on  horseback.  In  the  whole  course  of  our 
acquaintance,  of  more  than  half  a  century,  I  have  never  heard 
him  use  a  profane  word.  He  wrote  for  Mr.  Hough's  paper,  at 
Concord.  His  signature  I  do  not  now  recollect.  I  believe  the 
Newsboy's  Address  for  January  1, 1802,  in  poetry,  of  course,  was 
written  by  him.  Ezekiel  was  at  Hanover,  or  out  of  college 
teaching  school,  while  I  was  at  Salisbury.  I  recollect  seeing 
him  but  once,  and  then  for  a  short  time  only. 

The  father  was  a  right  down  plain,  honest  farmer  of  the  "  old 
school."  Independent  and  frank  in  his  own  opinions,  he  was 
willing  others  should  enjoy  theirs,  if  they  differed  from  him. 
His  bright  and  active  years  were  passed  before  I  knew  him ; 
but  he  was  always  industrious  about  the  useful  but  less  arduous 
duties  of  the  farm. 

If  I  recover  my  lost  letters,  I  shall  be  able  to  give  you  some 
more  facts  at  a  future  time. 

Very  truly  your  friend, 

DANIEL,  ABBOTT. 


MR.    HOTCHKISS    TO    PROF.    SANBORN. 

Shreveport,  Caddo  Parish,  Louisiana,  February  25,  1853. 
DEAR   SIR, — In   answer  to  the  inquiries  contained  in  your 
letter  of  November  22,  respecting  the  college  life  of  my  class 
mate,  Daniel  Webster,  I  will  now  give  you  such  facts  as  I  can 
6* 


66  PERSONAL  REMINISCENCES   OF 

recall.  I  joined  the  Freshman  class  at  the  beginning  of  the 
second  term.  As  I  entered  my  class  for  the  first  time,  being  a 
stranger  to  all  present,  I  scanned  with  deep  interest  the  personal 
appearance  and  attainments  of  every  member.  I  also  observed 
the  manner  in  which  each  one  performed  his  part  in  the  recita 
tion.  All  did  well.  I  thought  Webster  acquitted  himself 
admirably,  and,  indeed,  a  little  better  than  the  rest.  I  can  truly 
say  that  all  his  exercises,  through  his  whole  collegiate  course, 
improved  in  excellence  as  time  advanced.  He  was  always 
punctual  in  all  the  recitations,  exercises,  and  studies  of  the  class. 
Daniel  Webster  never  required  as  much  time  to  make  himself 
familiar  with  the  subjects  of  his  studies  as  many  others,  who 
also  performed  well  their  parts.  His  range  of  study  was  more 
general  than  that  of  his  classmates.  The  ease  with  which  he 
acquired  knowledge  afforded  him  much  time  for  promiscuous 
reading.  His  leisure  hours  were  not  lost ;  they  were  occupied 
in  the  way  of  literary  improvement.  He  took  time  for  exercise 
and  recreation,  and  joined  in  the  sports  and  amusements  com 
mon  to  students  at  that  time.  Their  pastimes  consisted  in  the 
game  of  ball  and  other  athletic  exercises. 

Webster  was  never  an  idle  student,  as  some  persons  falsely 
and  erroneously  believe.  I  have  often  been  questioned  on  that 
subject,  and  have  always  taken  upon  myself  the  pleasing  task 
of  promptly  denying  the  charge  and  correcting  the  mistake.  In 
the  pursuit  of  useful  knowledge  no  person  could  be  more  assid 
uous  than  Daniel  Webster.  No  blame  could  justly  be  brought 
against  his  moral  character ;  no  person  could  impute  to  him  a 
mean  or  unworthy  act.  In  his  intercourse  with  society,  he  was 
kind,  affable,  and  courteous.  He  was  an  agreeable  companion, 
and  was  highly  esteemed  by  his  college  acquaintances.  There 
were,  perhaps,  as  many  good  scholars  in  our  class  as  could  be 
found  in  any  other  class  of  the  same  number.  Webster  was 
considered  the  best.  Often,  in  our  private  circles,  the  subject 
of  his  superior  scholarship  and  fine  talents  was  discussed. 
From  my  first  acquaintance  with  him  I  had  predicted  for  him  a 
brilliant  future,  and  I  have  seen  that  prediction  signally  verified. 

Respectfully  yours, 

E.  HOTCHKISS. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER.  67 


MR.  SHATTUCK  TO  PROF.  SANBORN. 

Lancaster,  Mass.,  December  27,  1855. 

DEAR  SIR, — Yours  of  December  21  is  before  me.  You  ask 
for  reminiscences  of  the  college  life  of  the  late  Hon.  Daniel 
"Webster.  So  far  as  I  am  aided  by  an  octogenarian  memory,  I 
would  say,  that  Mr.  Webster's  habits  of  study  while  in  college 
were  good.  His  mode  of  recitation  was  prompt  and  off-hand ; 
ever  standing  side  by  side  with  the  best  specimens  of  scholar 
ship  in  his  class,  and  in  some  particulars,  especially  in  compo 
sition  and  oratory,  ahead  of  them  all.  His  deportment  was 
easy  and  gentlemanly ;  his  dress  decent,  suited  to  the  occasion ; 
nothing  superfluous  or  deficient.  I  never  knew,  or  heard,  or 
thought  of  any  thing  objectionable  in  his  moral  character.  He 
was  sometimes  humorous,  always  companionable  and  pleasant. 
He  possessed  a  very  clear  and  comprehensive  mind,  and  on 
graver  subjects  was  bold  and  lion-like  in  language.  I  have 
heard  of  some  anecdotes  of  Mr.  Webster's  college  life  which 
seem  to  have  no  foundation  in  truth.  If  the  events  reported 
ever  occurred,  I  was  not  cognizant  of  the  facts. 

Respectfully  yours, 

N.  SHATTUCK. 


PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE, 


PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    GEORGE    HERBERT. 

Dartmouth  College,  December  20,  1 798. 
YES,  George,  I  go,  I  leave  the  friend  I  love, 
Long  since  'twas  written  in  the  books  above  ; 
But  what,  Good  God !  I  leave  thee,  do  I  say  ? 
The  thought  distracts  my  soul  and  fills  me  with  dismay. 
But  Heaven  decreed  it,  let  me  not  repine  ; 
I  go ;   but,  George,  my  heart  is  knit  with  thine. 
In  vain  old  Time  shall  all  his  forces  prove, 
To  tear  my  heart  from  the  dear  friend  I  love  ; 
Should  you  be  distant  far  as  Afric's  sand, 
By  Fancy  pictured  you'd  be  near  at  hand. 
This  shall  console  my  thoughts,  till  time  shall  end, 
Though  George  be  absent,  George  is  still  my  friend. 
But  other  friends  I  leave :  it  wounds  my  heart, 
To  leave  a  Gilman,  Conkey,  and  a  Clark ; 
But  Hope  through  the  sad  thought  my  soul  shall  bear : 
Bereft  of  hope  I'd  sink  in  dark  despair. 
When  Phoebus  a  few  courses  shall  have  run, 
And  e'er  old  Aries  shall  receive  the  sun, 
I  shall  return,  nor  more  shall  fear  the  day, 
That  from  my  friends  shall  take  poor  me  away ; 
O  then  roll  on,  ye  lagging  wheels  of  time, 
Roll  on  the  hour ;  till  then,  dear  George,  I'm  thine. 

D.  W. 

Let  love  and  friendship  reign, 

Let  virtue  join  the  train 

And  all  their  sweets  retain, 

Till  Phoebus'  blaze  expire ; 


72  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Till  God,  who  rules  on  high, 
Shall  rend  the  tottering  sky, 
All  nature  gasping  die 
And  Earth  be  wrapt  in  fire. 

Dartmouth  College. 


D.   W.    TO    G.   H. 

SALVE ! 

February  25,  1799. 

BUT  quit  old  Pegasus  and  soar  on  high, 
In  Fancy's  air  balloon  traverse  the  sky, 
Where  hills  of  hail  and  heaps  of  snow  are  seen, 
Kept  in  reserve,  Heaven's  awful  magazine. 
Then  bend  your  course  aloft  beyond  the  sun, 
Where  other  globes  in  other  orbits  run ; 
Where  other  Comets  glide  along  their  spheres, 
And  other  planets  measure  other  years ; 
Where  other  men  inhabit  realms  afar, 
To  whom  our  sun  is  but  a  twinkling  star. 
Then  further  soar  along  the  Milky  Way, 
Where  our  old  sun  ne'er  cast  a  glimmering  ray. 
When  thus,  dear  George,  you  see  with  wondering  eye 
Systems  on  systems  roll  along  the  sky, 
Then,  friend,  consider  that  there  is  a  God 
Who  rules  this  vast  machine,  and  governs  with  a  nod. 

MELA. 

Dartmouth  College. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    GEORGE    HERBERT.1 
(EXTRACT.) 

Dartmouth  College,  January  7,  1801. 

I  FIND,  brother  George,  that  if  I  would  allure  an  answer  to  my 
letters,  I  must  exalt  my  subject  from  those  trifles  which  efFemi- 

1  Mr.  Herbert  had  now  graduated  and  removed  to  Stockbridge,  Mass. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  73 

nate  our  sex,  to  those  affairs  which  mark  the  man  of  informa 
tion  and  business.  I  shall  likewise,  perhaps,  find  it  necessary 
to  round  my  periods  with  more  attention,  and  endeavor  to 
grace  my  sentences  with  the  flourishes  of  rhetoric.  For  the  sake 
of  continuing  a  correspondence,  I  would  willingly  attempt  any 
thing  within  the  compass  of  my  capacity,  but  the  frog  must  not 
strive  to  swell  to  the  size  of  the  ox. 

Two  things  I  can't  say  I  like ;  Jefferson's  election  to  the  Presi 
dency,  and  Hamilton's  letter.  Of  the  two,  I  prefer  the  former. 
There  is  some  consistency  in  the  Jacobins  raising  Thomas  to 
the  Executive  Chair ;  it  is  in  conformity  to  their  avowed  prin 
ciples.  But  Hamilton's  letter  is  void  of  congruity. 

Let  us  just  notice  one  absurdity,  which  you  have  undoubtedly 
observed.  Hamilton  proposes  to  prove  that  there  are  certain 
essential  defects  in  the  character  of  Adams,  I  forget  the  partic 
ular  expressions,  which  unfit  him  for  the  office  of  Chief  Magis 
trate;  he  labors  hard  to  substantiate  this  point,  and  thinks  he 
has  done  it.  "What  is  his  conclusion  ?  He  does  not  wish  to 
withhold  a  vote  from  Mr.  Adams.  Now  mark  the  consistency. 
He  thinks  there  are  a  hundred  men  in  the  United  States  better 
calculated  for  the  Presidency  than  Mr.  Adams,  for  there  cer 
tainly  are  that  number  who  do  not  possess  these  essential 
defects ;  yet  he  wishes,  or  professes  to  wish,  every  vote  given  to 
Mr.  Adams.  Is  this  consentaneous  to  all  that  independence 
which  he  sets  out  with  ?  Is  it  agreeable  to  that  rigid  repub 
licanism  which  glowed  in  the  breasts  of  Aristides  and  Cato  ? 

We  are  every  day  expecting  the  electioneering  for  governor 
to  commence  in  this  State  with  warmth.  I  never  yet  drove  my 
quill  in  such  a  case,  perhaps  never  shall.  I  may  laugh  a  little ! 
Langdon,  it  is  expected,  will  be  the  anti-Federal  candidate. 
Oilman,  the  Federal ;  if  he  declines,  Peabody,  of  Exeter. 

Hem !  Hem !  I  am  clearing  my  throat.  George  P.,  the  son 
of  Professor  W.,  observed  the  other  day,  (as  it  was  spoken  in 
confidence,  I  will  aUow  you  to  make  more  of  it  than  of  general 
report) :  "  I  am  told,"  said  he,  "  that  Herbert  is  somewhat  unwell, 
and  I  believe  there  is  a  weed  growing  round  our  house,  which 
would  cure  him.  Mary  is  also  somewhat  sick,  and  I  am  told 
there  is  an  herb  now  growing  in  the  western  part  of  Massa 
chusetts,  which  would  help  her."  These  observations  were  made 
in  Mary's  hearing,  who  replied :  "  Since  you  have  discovered  a 
VOL.  i.  7 


74  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

weed  which  you  suppose  would  be  beneficial  to  Mr.  Herbert, 
you  are  in  duty  bound  to  communicate  your  discovery  to  him." 
I  pledge  myself,  Herbert,  for  the  truth  of  this ;  but  shall  tell  you 
no  more  of  the  good  or  bad  things  said  of  you  here,  till  I  know 
more  distinctly  your  intention.  If  you  are  seriously  and  honor 
ably  inclined,  I  can  tell  you  enough  to  give  you  perfect  confidence 
of  success ;  if  you  only  wish  to  amuse  yourself,  and  sport  with 
the  girl,  I  beg  you  not  to  make  me  your  instrument.  This 
however  I  know  you  cannot  intend.  I  know  the  nobleness  of 
your  soul  and  the  purity  of  your  heart.  Command  my  service 
in  any  way,  not  inconsistent  with  the  character  of  a  Christian 
and  a  gentleman,  and  I  will  serve  you  to  the  ne  plus  ultra  of 
my  talents. 

Since  you  have  not  answered  my  other  letter,  I  fear  I  have 
offended ;  I  hope  not ;  for  surely  you  will  not  accuse  me  of 
vanity,  if  I  tell  you  that  you  have  not  a  friend  in  existence  who 
means  better  than  DANL.  WEBSTER. 


FROM    MRS.  HERBERT,  TO    REV.    C.    D.    HERBERT. 
(Inclosing  the  preceding  letters.) 

Ellsworth,  March  6,  1856. 

MY  DEAR  SON, — I  am  very  sorry  to  disappoint  any  expecta 
tion  which  Mr.  Fletcher  Webster  may  have  been  led  to  enter 
tain,  that  I  would  be  able  to  furnish  him  with  any  considerable 
memorials  of  his  late  father.  Indeed,  I  have  very  little  in  my 
possession ;  only  one  letter  now  remaining  of  his  correspondence 
with  your  father,  which  is  dated  the  last  year  of  his  college  life. 
But,  as  this  is  rather  interesting  and  indicative  of  the  future  man, 
I  will  enclose  it  to  you,  and  you  can  transmit  or  not,  to  Mr. 
F.  W.,  as  you  shall  think  fit.  I  find  also  two  little  fragments  of 
poetry,  written  when  he  was  very  young.  They  seem  quite 
characteristic  of  the  writer,  and  are  creditable  both  to  his  head 
and  heart.  And  I  also  find  quite  an  interesting  document, 
entitled  "  Constitution  of  the  Federal  Club,"  with  several  signa 
tures  appended,  among  which  is  that  of  Daniel  Webster.  These 
were  doubtless  intimate  friends  and  choice  spirits,  of  that  early 
period  of  life  ;  and  probably  not  one  of  them  now  survives. 

Messrs.  Bracket  and  Clarke  were  subsequently  settled  in  the 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  75 

legal  profession  in  New  York  city.  The  former  died  about 
1830 ;  the  latter,  ten  or  eleven  years  later.  Mr.  Clarke  had  long 
since  united  with  the  Society  of  Friends,  some  said  in  order  to 
advance  his  professional  interests.  Your  father  said,  "  No,  it 
was  in  accordance  with  the  natural  dictates  of  his  heart ;  he 
was  born  a  Quaker !  " 

Tristram  Gilman  was  a  Maine  lad,  the  son  of  a  clergyman,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Gilman  of  North  Yarmouth.  He  died  early.  Mr.  Coffin, 
familiarly  called  by  his  college  friends,  "little  Natty  Coffin," 
from  his  diminutive  person,  was  also  of  Maine,  and  your  father's 
predecessor  in  this  place.  On  finishing  the  term  of  study  in  Mr. 
Sedgwick's  office,  your  father,  on  the  suggestion  and  recom 
mendation  of  Judge  Parker,  hastened  on  to  Ellsworth,  quite 
ignorant  that  the  young  lawyer  lately  established  here,  but  now 
about  leaving,  was  none  other  than  his  quondam  friend,  Natty 
Coffin !  Their  mutual  recognition  and  surprise  were  very  amus 
ing. 

Mr.  Pierce,  after  graduating  from  Dartmouth,  was  some  time 
principal  of  New  Ipswich  Academy.  I  know  nothing  of  him 
in  after  life,  or  of  Conkey  or  Cram. 

I  have  heard  your  father  speak  often  and  much  of  Daniel 
Webster,  for  whom  he  had  the  truest  esteem  and  friendship ; 
but  it  is  so  long  since,  that  particulars  are  much  obliterated  from 
my  mind.  I  would  gladly  recall  them,  if  it  were  possible. 

As  your  brother  George  went  on  to  St.  Augustine  the  last  year 
of  his  college  life,  about  1834,  he  was  detained  a  few  days  in 
New  York,  and  took  the  opportunity  to  pay  his  respects  to  Mr. 
Clarke,  who  treated  him  very  kindly,  and  recognized  him  as  his 
father's  son.  The  presence  of  the  young  collegian  seemed  to 
open  afresh  the  genial  heart  of  the  good  old  man  to  reminis- 
ences  of  his  own  college  life,  and  he  gave  many  pleasant  anec<- 
dotes  relating  to  those  happy  times.  I  should  think  that  a  more 
than  common  attachment  existed  among  the  members  of  his 
class,  in  general,  and  that  many  of  them  were  bound  together 
by  the  closest  ties  of  friendship.  Mr.  Clarke  related  that  some 
of  these  friends,  or  brothers,  as  they  called  each  other,  had  rooms 
adjoining ;  and,  in  order  to  facilitate  their  social  enjoyments, 
they  made  an  opening  in  the  intervening  partition,  which  was 
by  some  ingenious  device  carefully  secured  from  the  general 
observation,  but  admitted  of  free  ingress  and  egress  to  the  occu- 


76  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

pants  of  the  two  apartments  ;  and  it  would  seem  that,  like  the 
early  Christians,  they  had  all  things  common.  The  first  to  rise 
in  the  morning,  dressed  himself  in  the  best  which  the  united 
apartments  afforded ;  and  so  of  the  rest  successively,  but  woe  to 
the  latest  riser,  whose  equipments  might  have  been  furnished  at 
Rag  Fair ! 

Mr.  Clarke  was  himself  at  one  time  the  fortunate  possessor 
of  a  new  beaver  hat ;  not  one  of  the  light,  cheap,  silky,  effeminate 
fabrications  of  later  times,  but  a  real  eight  or  ten  dollar  beaver, 
well  made  and  weighty.  It  was  the  envy  of  all  the  college. 

The  new  beaver  was  one  day  missing.  He  sought  it  every 
where,  in  vain.  In  his  researches,  he  happened  on  an  old  felt  hat 
battered  and  broken,  which  he  was  fain  to  wear,  rather  than  none. 
Things  continued  thus  for  several  weeks,  when  "  friend  Dan" 
returned  from  a  distant  town,  where  he  had  spent  the  vacation  in 
school-teaching,  and  with  him  came  the  beaver,  which  he  had 
tacitly  borrowed'  for  the  occasion !  They  shook  hands,  re- 
exchanged  hats,  and  were  better  friends  than  ever. 

These  are  pleasant  anecdotes,  such  as  old  men  love  to  recall 
of  their  innocent  boyhood ;  but  I  have  heard  and  could  tell  of 
far  better,  relating  to  those  times,  more  significant  of  good,  if 
I  could  but  distinctly  remember  them.  Young  Webster  seems 
to  have  been  greatly  beloved  by  his  early  friends,  who  prognos 
ticated  his  future  greatness,  though  they  could  not,  perhaps, 
have  anticipated  that  he  would  so  early  have  become  famous. 

I  never  saw  Mr.  Webster,  excepting  in  the  winter  of  1808, 
when,  with  your  father,  I  spent  several  weeks  in  Boston.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Webster,  from  Portsmouth,  were  at  the  same  time 
visitors  in  that  city.  They  were  guests  in  the  family  of  Mr. 
Perkins,  a  young  M.  D.  recently  from  Hanover,  and  one  of  the 
fraternity  of  attached  friends.  To  his  house  your  father  and 
myself  had  frequent  invitations,  and  nothing  could  exceed  the 
high  enjoyment  evinced  by  Herbert  and  Webster  in  the  renewed 
intercourse. 

The  appearance  of  Mr.  Webster  at  this  time,  still  youthful, 
yet  mature,  his  fine  person  and  dignified  demeanor,  though  in 
the  social  private  circle  most  gentle  and  endearing,  is  altogether 
indescribable.  Mrs.  Webster  was  very  sweet  and  lovely.  Her 
smile  was  perfectly  charming  and  long  to  be  remembered.  Some 
few  years  after,  I  asked  Mr.  Allen,  (Frederick  H.)  then  a  young 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  77 

man  and  recently  returned  from  Washington,  where  he  had 
accompanied  his  father,  if  he  saw  Mrs.  Webster.  "  O  yes, 
indeed,"  he  said,  he  "  met  with  her  at  the  great  levee."  The 
lady  friend  who  "  patronized  him,"  after  having  presented  him 
to  several  ladies,  said  to  him,  "  and  now  I  am  about  to  introduce 
you  to  Mrs.  Webster,  whom  you  will  find  shining  among  these 
dazzling  luminaries  with  all  the  sweet  and  gentle  radiance  of 
the  Evening  Star ! " 

But  I  must  stop.  Please  make  my  best  excuses  to  Mr. 
Fletcher  Webster,  and  forward  to  him  such  of  the  manuscripts 
as  you  think  best.  They  look  very  worn  out  and  shabby,  and  in 
self-justification,  I  must  say,  so  did  they  when  I  first  saw  them, 
nearly  half  a  century  ago  ! 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  February  5,  1800. 

THE  political  events  of  Europe,  my  friend  Hervey,  are  so  novel 
and  unexpected,  revolution  succeeds  revolution  in  such  rapid  suc 
cession,  that  it  is  sufficient  to  overpower  the  understanding  and 
confound  the  calculations  of  the  most  sage  politician.  These 
events  are  attended  with  such  important  circumstances,  involve 
so  many  and  so  various  interests,  that  schemes  either  of  aggran 
dizement  or  of  defence  are  agitated  and  devised  in  every  cabinet 
of  Europe.  Nor  is  it  to  be  expected,  at  this  eventful  crisis,  that 
the  decisions  of  our  Executive  are  to  be  uninfluenced  by  consid 
erations  of  transatlantic  occurrences.  Were  we,  like  China, 
divested  of  every  commercial  engagement,  we  might,  like  that 
empire,  remain  unmoved,  while  convulsed  Europe  tottered  to  its 
base.  To  suppose  that  the  liberty  of  United  America,  depends 
on  the  balance  of  power  on  the  Eastern  continent,  is  an  idea 
exploded  by  every  whig  of  '76,  and  which  ought  to  be  deemed 
absurd  and  preposterous.  But  our  connections  with  foreign 
nations  are  such,  that  to  preserve  unaffected  our  commercial 
interests,  while  revolutions  are  making  such  monstrous  strides 
in  Europe,  is  beyond  the  reach  of  human  sagacity.  Adams, 
however,  has  hitherto  conducted  us  in  tolerable  safety  through 
the  dangers  which  have  beset  us,  and  on  him,  under  the  guidance 
7* 


78  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

of  an  overruling  Providence,  we  must  rely,  as  the  only  rock  of 
our  political  salvation.  I,  who  am  a  mere  novice  in  the  science 
of  politics,  have  done  calculating.  I  have  heretofore  applied 
logical,  metaphysical,  mathematical,  and  philosophical  theorems, 
but  have  found  them  all  insufficient  to  solve  one  political  prob 
lem. 

Who  thought,  six  months  ago,  that  Bonaparte,  who  was  then 
represented  as  lying  with  his  slaughtered  army  on  the  plains  of 
Egypt,  to  taint  the  air,  and  gorge  the  monsters  of  the  Nile,  would 
at  this  time  have  returned  to  France,  have  destroyed  the  Direc 
tory  and  Legislative  Councils,  have  established  a  triumvirate,  and 
have  placed  himself  at  its  head — which  is  saying,  have  virtually 
made  himself  sovereign  of  France  ?  Who  could  have  predicted 
that  the  Duke  of  York,  who  so  late  was  marching  victoriously 
through  Holland,  should  ere  this  time  have  entered  into  a  con 
vention,  by  which  he  was  to  give  up  all  his  booty  and  prisoners, 
and  evacuate  the  country  ?  Or,  whoever  supposed  that  Paul, 
emperor  of  Russia,  who  so  lately  was  raising  one  hundred  and 
eighty  thousand  men,  to  reinforce  his  armies,  should  now  order 
Suwarrow.  with  his  veteran  Cossacks,  to  quit  the  field  and  return 
home?  The  occurrences  hitherto  would  have  warranted  the 
most  extravagant  expectations ;  but  these  events  must  have  been, 
I  think,  unprepared  for.  What  unknown  cause  has  wrought 
these  changes  ?  I  cannot  determine.  I  am  weary  of  conjecture. 
But,  when  baffled  in  attempting  to  scan  the  horizon  of  European 
politics,  could  I  turn  my  eyes  home  and  be  presented  with  such  a 
prospect  as  was  afforded  five  years  ago,  I  should  lift  my  heart  to 
Heaven  in  a  transport  of  devotion,  and  exclaim,  "  Let  France  or 
England  be  arbiter  of  Europe,  but  be  mine  the  privileges  of  an 
American  citizen."  But,  Hervey,  our  prospect  darkens ;  clouds 
hang  around  us.  Not  that  I  fear  the  menaces  of  France ;  not 
that  I  should  fear  all  the  powers  of  Europe  leagued  together  for 
our  destruction.  No,  Bingham,  intestine  feuds  alone  I  fear.  The 
French  faction,  though  quelled,  is  not  eradicated.  The  southern 
States  in  commotion ;  a  Democrat  the  head  of  the  Executive  in 
Virginia ;  a  whole  county  in  arms  against  the  government  of 
McKean,  in  Pennsylvania ;  Washington,  the  great  political 
cement  dead,  and  Adams  almost  worn  down  with  years,  and  the 
weight  of  cares.  These  considerations,  operating  on  a  mind 
naturally  timorous,  excite  unpleasant  emotions.  In  my  melan- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  79 

choly  moments,  I  presage  the  most  dire  calamities.  I  already 
see,  in  my  imagination,  the  time  when  the  banner  of  civil  war 
shall  be  unfurled ;  when  Discord's  hydra  form  shall  set  up  her 
hideous  yell,  and  from  her  hundred  mouths  shall  howl  destruc 
tion  through  our  empire ;  and  when  American  blood  shall  be 
made  to  flow  in  rivers,  by  American  swords !  But  propitious 
Heaven  prevent  such  dreadful  calamities !  Internally  secure, 
we  have  nothing  to  fear.  Let  Europe  pour  her  embattled 
millions  around  us,  let  her  thronged  cohorts  cover  our  shores, 
from  St.  Lawrence  to  St.  Marie's,  yet,  United  Columbia  shall 
stand  unmoved;  the  manes  of  her  deceased  Washington,  shall 
guard  the  liberties  of  his  country,  and  direct  the  sword  of  free 
dom  in  the  day  of  battle.  Heaven  grant  that  the  bonds  of  our 
federal  union  may  be  strengthened ;  that  Gallic  emissaries  and 
Gallic  principles  may  be  spurned  from  our  land ;  that  traitors 
may  be  abashed,  and  that  the  stars  and  stripes  of  United  Colum 
bia  may  wave  triumphant !  So  much  for  politics. 

I  have  received  your  letter,  as  you  must  know  by  my  delaying 
to  visit  you.  I  shall  visit  you  next  Saturday,  other  things  being 
equal.  You  wonder  I  did  not  write,  and  are  about  to  conclude 
that  my  friendship  for  you  had  decreased ;  but,  James,  form  no 
rash  conclusions.  I  did  write  soon  after  your  departure ;  I  wrote 
very  soon ;  I  wrote  then.  I  prepared  a  letter  too  long,  and  too 
nonsensical  to  be  read  with  patience,  and  determined  to  send 
it  by  Mr.  Wilson,  but  did  not  see  him.  I  then  despatched  the 
animal  by  another  conveyance,  but  after  a  few  days  travelling  it 
returned.  However,  after  a  little  refreshment,  the  gentleman 
moved  again,  and  I  conclude  by  this  time  is  arrived  at  San- 
bornton  ;  where  I  presume  you  will  deal  with  his  honor  accord 
ing  to  the  fitness  of  things,  that  is  to  say,  read  till  you  are  tired, 
then  burn  him.  By  last  mail  I  had  a  letter  from  Fuller — all  well. 
N.  and  B.  were  to  go  last  week.  S.  F — er,  and  Mary,  la  bonne, 
have  gone.  Thus  you  see  the  circle  is  broken ;  well,  Hervey, 
let  us  then  apply  ourselves  more  closely  to  study.  I  have  to 

impart  to  you  from  Mr.  Fuller,  the  love  of  all  the .     My 

school  increases  fast  enough.  Instead  of  twenty,  I  have  fifty, 
and  shall  have  more;  five  English  grammarians,  I  mean  stu 
dents  in  English,  and  two  Latin  scholars.  I  had  a  letter  not  long 
since  from  J.  Nelson,  and  hope  to  see  him  on  Saturday  at  San- 
bornton.  Much  speculation  is  made  here  on  the  scribblers  for 


80  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

the  Dartmouth  Gazette.  Old  Icarus  is  handled  without  cere 
mony.  I  shall  tell  you  hereafter  some  pretty  things  about  it. 
Our  family  would  reciprocate  their  respects.1 

I  am,  Sir,  with  much  respect,  yours  in  the  indissoluble  bonds 
of  fraternal  love.  D.WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  February  11,  1800. 

BROTHER  BINGHAM, — I  now  sit  down  in  poor  spirits  to  write 
a  poor  letter,  to — a  poor  fellow,  shall  I  say  ?  No,  say  rather,  to 
the  friend  of  my  heart,  the  partner  of  my  joys,  griefs,  and  affec 
tions,  the  only  participator  of  my  most  secret  thoughts.  I  arrived 
here  yesterday,  seasonably  for  school,  and  having  undergone  the 
fatigues  of  the  day,  I  retired  to  rest  at  nine  o'clock,  and  surrendered 
myself  to  the  dominion  of  Morpheus.  At  ten,  I  was  awaked, 
and  informed  that  Captain  McClure,  and  Senior  Curtis  were 
below.  I  soon  disengaged  myself  from  the  "  slumbering  god," 
and  hastened  to  extend  them  the  friendly  right  hand,  accompan 
ied  with  a  hearty  how  do  you  do !  They  left  Hanover  almost 
Two  weeks  since  ;  and  have  taken  a  tour  to  the  southeast.  By 
them  I  was  favored  with  two  letters  from  our  friends  at  college, 
which,  although  dated  some  time  ago,  gave  me  much  pleasure. 
Clark  writes  that  he  has  taken  the  school  there  at  twenty-four 
dollars  per  month.  Doctor  Marsh  offered  himself  for  fifteen,  but 
was  not  received.  "  This,"  Clark  observes,  "  feeds  my  vanity,  but 
not  my  purse."  In  the  course  of  his  letter  he  observes,  "  blow 
ye  Northern  blasts  with  tenfold  fury ;  beat  back  the  pestilential 
breeze  of  matrimony,  or  my  Icarus  is  fallen  forever ! "  What 
does  he  hint  at  here?  How  should  he  know  that  I  was  just  about 
to  (try  to)  be  married  ?  My  amour,  you  very  well  know,  had 
not  commenced  the  last  time  I  wrote  to  him.  He  says  he  is 
well  and  happy ;  that  he  has  heard  from  many  of  our  friends 
who  are  in  health.  This  information  carries  joy  to  the  hearts 
of  J.  H.  B.  and  D.  W.  While  you  rejoice  with  me  in  the  health 
and  happiness  of  our  brother  students,  I  presume  from  the  good 
ness  of  your  heart,  that  you  will  join  me  in  commiserating  him 

1  A  portion  of  the  above  appeared  in  the  Dartmouth  Gazette- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  81 

who  stands  next  to  yourself  on  the  catalogue  of  my  Mends.  I 
mean  Bracket ;  he  has  lost  a  sister  ;  he  is  afflicted,  and  we  will 
mourn.  We  have  seen  him  in  those  happy  hours,  when  every 
heart  palpitated  with  joy,  and  every  eye  sparkled  with  benevo 
lence  ;  and  we  should  be  equally  happy  to  meet  him  now  and 
mingle  souls  in  mournful  sympathy.  Though  not  personally 
acquainted  with  the  deceased  lady,  it  is  enough  to  entitle  her  to 
a  share  in  our  remembrance  that  she  was  the  sister  of  J.  W.  B. 
For  his  sake,  then,  we  will  shed  the  friendly  tear  and  embalm 
her  memory  in  our  hearts.  After  the  people  were  gone  to  bed, 
I  wrote  an  answer  to  Clark,  and  presumed  to  offer  him  your  best 
respects  ;  this  I  conceived  I  had  a  right  to  do,  since,  between 
you  and  me,  cor  corde  mutatur.  I  also  wrote  to  H.  W.  F.,  and 
endeavored,  with  as  much  delicacy  as  I  was  able,  to  return  the 

puellarum  pulcherrimarum  so  politely  bestowed  on  J.  H.  B. 

and  D.  W. 

Capt.  McClure,  in  his  journey,  saw  Freeborn,  and  D.  Osgood, 

and  J.  Dutch,  &c.  who  are  well In  the  letter  which  you 

did  me  the  honor  to  send  me,  you  have  the  following  sentence, 
"  cave,  nequis  videat,  &c. ; "  though  it  be  very  handsome  Latin, 
and  I  can  find  no  fault  with  it  as  a  critic,  yet,  my  dear  Hervey, 
I  must  confess  it  surprises  me  much.  Do  you  suspect  my  integ 
rity  ?  Do  you  imagine  that  I  would  do  any  thing  which  should 
endanger  your  reputation  ?  I  certainly  suspect  no  such  things 
from  you,  and  therefore  never  think  to  insert  such  an  idea.  If  a 
letter  from  a  friend  chance  to  be  written  inaccurately,  as  is  often 
the  case  when  written  calamo  currente,  which,  by  the  way,  could 
not  be  said  of  yoursj  it  behooves  the  receiver  to  consider  it  ac 
cordingly.  Upon  the  whole,  that  sentence,  though  its  like  is 
frequently  seen  in  letters,  argues  a  suspicion  of  my  sincerity, 
which,  were  I  assured  it  really  existed,  would  prove  an  eternal 
alloy  to  my  felicity.  But  I  am  willing  to  impute*  it  to  custom, 
to  compliment,  or,  as  you  say,  to  any  thing  else  rather  than 
to  suspicion. 

It  is  now  nine  o'clock ;  before  I  began  this  letter  I  read  a 
chapter  in  Mallet  du  Pan's  History  of  The  Destruction  of  the 
Helvetic  Union.  I  read  till  I  saw  Switzerland  ravaged  and  de 
populated,  her  sons  barbarously  butchered,  and  blood  flow.ing  in 
torrents  from  the  side  of  the  Alps  !  All  this  I  saw  done  by  the 
intrigue  of  perfidious  France.  The  scene  was  too  affecting ;  I 


82  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

closed  the  book  and  exclaimed,  "  Havoc  and  spoil  and  ruin  are 
thy  gains ;  destruction  is  thy  sport ;  blood,  groans,  and  desola 
tion  are  thy  triumphs,  thou  magnanimous  republic ! ! !  Switzer 
land,  which  has  been  a  republic  for  almost  five  hundred  years,  is 
now  no  more.  The  descendants  of  the  immortal  Tell,  who 
rescued  his  country  from  Austrian  tyranny,  have  nothing  now 
left,  as  the  historian  observes,  but  rocks,  ruins,  and  dema 
gogues."  "  Ah,  curst  ambition,  what  hast  thou  done ! "  Nor  is 
it  enough  that  Switzerland,  Venice,  Genoa,  and  every  other 
republic  in  Europe  has  fallen  a  prey  to  the  despots  of  Paris ;  one 
quarter  of  the  world  cannot  satiate  their  ambition.  The  wor 
shipper  of  the  Alcoran  must  be  molested,  the  wandering  Arab 
attacked,  and  slaughter  carried  to  the  forests  of  Africa.  Their 
empire  must  be  bounded  only  by  the  limit  of  their  ambition ; 
their  ambition  is  coextensive  with  the  universe.  I  expect  that 
Blanchard  will  soon  be  despatched  with  his  aerial  squadron  to 
attack  the  moon ;  to  revolutionize  the  Lunarians  by  the  same 
means  that  Talleyrand  used  to  disturb  the  peace  of  his  Satanic 
Majesty No  more  politics. 

" Sylvarumque  potens  Diana."     A  Fable. 

Bright  Phoebus  long  all  rival  suns  outshone, 

And  rode  triumphant  on  his  splendid  throne  ; 

When  first  he  waked  the  blushes  of  the  dawn, 

And  spread  his  beauties  o'er  the  flowery  lawn, 

The  yielding  stars  quick  hastened  from  the  sky, 

Nor  moon  dare  longer  with  his  glories  vie  ; 

He  reigned  supreme,  and  decked  in  roseate  light 

Beamed  his  full  splendors  on  the  astonished  sight. 

At  length,  on  earth,  behold  a  damsel  rise, 

Whose  growing  beauties  charmed  the  wondering  skies ! 

As  forth  she  walked  to  breathe  the  balmy  air, 

And  view  the  beauties  of  the  gay  parterre, 

Her  radiant  glories  drowned  the  blaze  of  day, 

And  through  all  nature  shot  a  brighter  ray. 

Old  Phoebus  saw — and  blushed — now  forced  to  own, 

That  with  superior  worth  the  damsel  shone. 

Graced  with  his  name,  he  bade  her  ever  shine. 

And  in  his  rival  owned  a  form  divine! 

I  am,  Sir,  with  much  respect,  yours  in  the  indissoluble  bonds 
of  fraternal  love,  DAN.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  83 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Hanover,  April  25,  1800. 

EZEKIEL, — I  promised  to  write  to  you  once  more  this  week  ; 
to-morrow  is  the  last  day ;  well  I  will  write  now,  but  what  shall 
I  write  ?  I  know  not.  I  have  written  so  frequently  this  term,  that 
I  have  exhausted  my  stock.  In  the  last  letter  I  had  from  you, 
you  were  telling  something  about  "  that  fountain  of  science." 
What  fountain  do  you  mean  ?  My  brain  ?  That  is  a  fountain 
which  was  always  dry  ;  a  droll  fountain  truly.  Do  you  mean 
the  whole  institution  ?  Perhaps,  indeed,  there  may  be  some 
degree  of  science  in  college ;  and  I  should  be  very  willing  to 
borrow  or  buy  a  little  of  a  fellow-student  for  the  sake  of  amus 
ing  you. 

Therefore,  since  we  are  wretchedly  poor,  you  will  be  good 
enough  to  take  the  will  for  the  deed,  and  believe  that  I  would 
do  as  much  to  entertain  and  instruct  you  as  any  man  living. 
That  "instruct"  is  a  very  presumptuous  word;  erase  it,  and 
write  in  its  room  some  one  not  quite  so  assuming. 

By  this  time  you  have  passed  over  "  Arma,  virumque  cano, 
&c."  I  presume  you  scold  a  little,  but  don't  be  frightened. 

You  tell  me  that  you  have  difficulties  to  encounter,  which  I 
know  nothing  of.  What  do  you  mean,  Ezekiel  ?  Do  you  mean 
to  flatter  ?  That  don't  become  you ;  or  do  you  think  you  are 
inferior  to  me  in  natural  abilities  ?  If  so,  be  assured  you  greatly 
mistake.  Therefore,  for  the  future,  say  in  your  letters  to  me,  "  I 
am  superior  to  you  in  natural  endowments ;  I  will  know  more  in 
one  year,  than  you  do  now,  and  more  in  six  than  you  ever  will." 
I  should  not  resent  this  language.  I  should  be  very  well  pleased 
in  hearing  it ;  but  be  assured,  as  mighty  as  you  are,  your  great 
puissance  shall  never  insure  you  a  victory  without  a  contest. 

Adams,  my  very  good  room-mate,  has  just  come  on.  I  feel 
at  home  now,  since  my  wife  has  returned.  You  will  ask  why 
he  did  not  call  on  you  ;  he  came  by  way  of  Walpole.  He  will 
probably  go  home  by  way  of  Salisbury,  in  August,  and  I  pre 
sume  he  will  tarry  with  us  a  few  days. 

There  is  now  before  me  a  newspaper,  in  which  votes  stand 
thus :  Oilman,  7,302  ;  Walker,  4,638.  These,  when  added  to 
gether,  make  as  great  a  number,  nearly,  as  was  given  in  for 


84  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

governor  last  year.  If,  then,  this  statement  be  true,  which  we 
have  no  reason  to  doubt,  Walker  cannot  be  elected.  In  Mas 
sachusetts,  I  think  it  uncertain  whether  the  Strong-man,  or  the 
weak  envoy  will  be  chosen  to  fill  the  chair  of  the  supreme  ex 
ecutive.  I  hope,  however,  that  the  best  man  will  command  the 
suffrages  of  his  fellow-citizens.  But  an  election  of  much  greater 
importance  than  either  of  the  above  will  demand  our  attention 
next  September.  The  question  will  then  be,  whether  John  Adams 
or  Thomas  Jefferson  shall  be  President  of  the  United  States. 

This  is  the  fifth  letter  I  have  written  to  you  since  I  saw  you  ; 
the  last  letter  I  received  from  you  was  dated  the  8th  of  April, 
when  it  seems  you  had  had  none  from  me ;  by  this  time,  how 
ever,  I  conclude  you  have  received  a  number. 

I  wish  you  to  inform  me  how  many  students  are  now  at  the 
academy ;  whether  any  will  enter  college  soon  ;  where  you  board, 
what  you  study,  &c.,  &c. 

As  I  have  now  finished  the  sheet,  you  will  permit  me  to  take 
my  leave,  while  I  subscribe  myself  ever  yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     Respects  to  all. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Beechnut  Hall,  Hanover,  December  28,  1800. 

DEAR  JAMES, — Long  are  the  faces  of  Hanoverians.  Jefferson's 
Presidency  which  now  seems  certain,  sets  not  very  well  on  our 
stomachs.  All  the  tonics  of  our  political  faculty  cannot  make 
it  digest  readily.  Burr,  too,  nettles  us  more  than  any  vegetable 
burr  in  our  fields.  However,  what  cannot  be  cured  must  be 
endured.  So,  friends  Jefferson  and  Burr,  we  leave  you  for  more 
pleasing  subjects. 

Hervey,  do  you  remember  the  oculum?  Yes,  I  know  you  do, 
and  will  while  you  live,  I  shall,  be  sure.  You  know  how  poets 
sing  of  the  dove  that  has  lost  its  mate,  or  you  know  how  Os- 
sian's  maid  of  Cromla  weeps,  when  the  green  grass  waves  o'er 
the  tomb  of  her  lover;  now  make  proper  deductions  for  the 
licentia  poetica,  and  you  will  learn  my  feelings  since  your 
departure. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  85 

You  must  know  that  I  have  made  great  advances  in  music 
since  you  left  us.  I  have  not  indeed  obtained  any  knowledge 
in  the  cords  or  discords  of  strings  or  voices,  but  have  attended 
to  the  music  of  the  soul,  the  harmony  of  the  passions,  and  the 
vibrations  of  the  intellectual  cords.  I  have  not  been  vexed  nor 
discomposed ;  very  gay,  nor  very  melancholy ;  very  learned,  nor 
— pardon  me — very  ignorant,  since  I  saw  you.  I  am  fully  per 
suaded  that  our  happiness  is  much  at  our  regulation,  and  that 
the  "  Know  thyself"  of  the  Greek  philosopher,  meant  no  more 
than  rightly  to  attune  and  soften  our  appetites  and  passions  till 
they  should  symphonize  like  the  harp  of  David.  Mr.  Stewart 
has  shown  us  some  fine  ideas  on  it.  He  is  an  author  whom  I 
admire  more  than  any  writer  I  have  perused. 

Dear  Bingham,  it  is  now  half-past  ten  in  the  evening.  I  am 
alone,  save  a  certain  fellow  by  the  name  of  Nap,  who,  by  his 
unceasing  clack,  one  would  think  would  never  be  able  to  indulge 
sounder  sleep  than  a  nap.  Fanny,  whom  I  consider  our  sister, 
has  just  retired,  and  the  hour  is  arrived  when  you  and  I  were 
used  to  pile  up  our  books  and  converse  with  a  fondness  I  always 
approve,  though  sometimes  think  almost  childish.  If  I  had  any 
thing  which  the  world  ought  not  to  know,  what  a  happy  mo 
ment  this  for  telling  it  to  you !  But  nothing  occurs  which  you 
have  not  heard ;  you  know  every  impression  on  my  heart  as 
perfectly  as  the  letters  of  the  alphabet.  I  need  not  go  to  the 
world  to  bring  senseless  stories  to  your  ear ;  you  must  already 
be  surfeited  with  Hanover  reports,  and  it  will  not  gratify  you  to 
learn  your  friend  is  implicated  in  them.  I  saw  S.  a  moment 
this  evening.  If  the  vices,  which  sometimes  tarnish  her  sex, 
were  hanging  round  her  heart,  they  certainly  did  not  appear  in 
her  countenance.  As  I  rose  to  leave  the  room,  a  Miss,  who  sat 
next  her,  made  a  very  saucy  remark.  The  voice  of  S.  only 
replied,  "  Why !  "  but  the  gem  which  sparkled  in  her  eye  com 
pleted  the  sentence.  As  for  myself  I  was  silent,  but  I  turned 
my  eyes  towards  the  censorious  animal,  and  if  I  looked  as  I  felt, 
I  fancy  she  repented  what  she  had  said.  I  am  not  consequential 
enough  to  furnish  a  reproof,  " a  neglig-endo"  but  if  an  inexpli 
cable  line  of  conduct  \vill  confound  them,  I  will  see  two  very 
severe  observing  Misses  entangled  in  perplexities. 

Perhaps  I  have  been  imprudent,  but  nobody  shall  be  un 
happy  for  my  imprudence,  but  myself;  for  the  fulfilment  of  this 
VOL.  i.  8 


86  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

promise  I  pledge  my  honor.     If  I  ought  to,  I  will.     Nobody 
knows  whether  J  wish  to. 

I  had  yesterday  a  letter  from  my  father.  He  says  I  may,  if 
I  please,  visit  Boston  this  winter.  I  shall  not  hesitate  to  accept 
his  invitation. 

Wednesday  evening,  8  o'clock. 

To-morrow,  Hervey,  is  the  first  day  of  the  year,  and  of  the 
century.  In  conformity  to  custom  and  the  feelings  of  my  own 
heart,  I  wish  you  a  happy  new  year.  We  are  just  now  enter 
ing  upon  a  century,  which  none  of  us  will  probably  live  to  see 
closed.  There  is  something  solemn  in  the  idea,  that  a  period  of 
time  is  now  commencing  which  will  carry  us  all  to  Shakespeare's 
bourn  whence  no  traveller  returns.  The  "  narrow  house  "  is  our 
final  mansion,  and  "  there  he  lies,"  is  an  observation  which  ere 
long  will  be  applicable  to  us  all.  May  we  so  conduct,  that  the 
"  narrow  house "  shall  be  to  us  a  palace  of  joy,  and  that  the 
good  man  may  say,  concerning  us,  "  there  he  lies,"  with  his 
hand  on  his  breast,  and  a  tear  in  his  eye ! 

I  am,  dear  Hervey,  your 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  Fanny  sends  her  compliments.  I  dare  not  inform  the 
other  ladies  that  I  was  writing  to  you,  lest  they  should  give  me 
so  many  compliments  for  yon,  that  I  could  write  nothing  else. 
Do  not  fail  to  write  me  immediately.  I  shall  be  hereabout  three 
weeks  longer. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Hanover,  January  17,  1801. 

BROTHER  BINGHAM, — On  the  eve  of  departure  from  Hanover, 
I  devote  a  moment  to  him  whose  residence  here  renders  Han 
over  agreeable.  Next  Monday,  health  permitting,  I  set  out  for 
Salisbury,  not  blessed,  as  the  last  year,  with  the  company  of  my 
Hervey.  No  event  worthy  of  remembrance  has  transpired 
since  you  left  us,  except  the  ill  health  of  brother  Shattuck,  who 
has  been  unwell  a  number  of  days,  but  is  recovering.  I  have 
had  a  letter  from  C.  Gilbert,  dated  at  Brookfield.  "  After  a  tour 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  87 

of  two  or  three  hundred  miles,"  he  writes,  "  friend  Upham  and 
myself  arrived  here."  Bliss  is  pedagoguizing  in  York  State, 
the  other  honorable  senator  I  have  not  heard  from. 

Fanny  and  Dan.  took  a  ride  to  Lebanon  the  other  day,  and 
I  felt  the  magic  of  friendship  increased  by  conversation.  She 
would  be  remembered  to  you.  Mr.  Bing.  is  so,  without  varia 
tion.  I  have  an  invitation  to  accompany  a  gentleman  to 
Boston,  perhaps  I  told  you,  which  I  think  of  accepting.  Carey 
writes  to  Ripley  that  he  shall  leave  his  school  in  Salem  in  April. 
Salem !  Enchanting  name !  Who  would  have  thought  that 
from  the  ashes  of  witches,  hung  a  century  ago,  should  have 
sprung  such  an  arch  coquette  as  should  delight  in  sporting  with 
the  simplicity  of 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 

Do  write  me  immediately ;  send  to  Hanover  or  Windsor,  and 
then  by  mail  to  Salisbury.  A  letter  from  Hervey  always  carries 
joy  to  the  bosom  of  Daniel. 

Good-bye  ;  may  you  be  blessed  of  the  Lord. 

DAN'L. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 


Salisbury,  January  26,  1801. 

WHY,  brother  Fuller,  what  should  induce  you  to  present  to 
me  such  a  request,  at  this  time?  Surely,  if  you  knew  my  situa 
tion  you  would  not  think  me  able  to  write  a  letter  all  in  rhyme. 
I  have  been,  for  many  days,  shut  up  in  my  room,  and  am  just 
now  creeping  from  the  clutches  of  a  fever.  The  Muses,  you 
know,  are  not  often  seen  hovering  round  the  bed  of  an  invalid ; 
like  other  females,  they  wish  only  to  familiarize 


[  with  swains  of  limbs  robust, 


"  And  vigor  unabating." 


Thus,  friend  Habijah,  I  have  a  very  good  reason  for  apologiz 
ing  and  soliciting  a  release  from  the  task.  But  I  am  very 
seriously  impressed  with  a  sense  of  your  situation ;  accustomed 
from  infancy  to  the  communion  of  the  Parnassides,  and  encour 
aged  and  cherished  in  all  those  habits  which  attach  you  to  their 


88  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

society,  a  discontinuance  of  their  intercourse  at  so  unexpected 
a  period  must  very  sensibly  diminish  your  enjoyment.  Influ 
enced  by  these  feelings,  dear  Chevalier,  I  am  induced  to  address 
the  prayer  of  a  valetudinarian  on  your  behalf  to  the  throne  of 
their  highnesses,  the  Parnassides. 

Ye  Muses!  Say,  for  what  black  crime  unknown, 

Ye  stay  your  influence  from  your  darling  son ! 

What  direful  causes,  as  old  Maro  sings, 

Of  all  his  troubles  are  the  fruitful  springs  ? 

What  nymph,  offended  at  his  labored  grace, 

Eludes  his  arms,  and  shuns  his  chaste  embrace  ? 

What  star  malignant  o'er  his  birthday  hung, 

And  froze  the  streams,  just  rolling  from  his  tongue  ? 

Or  what  drear  comet  spreads  infectious  fires, 

And  seals  the  lips,  that  poetry  inspires  ? 

Has  some  proud  nymph,  of  our  terrestrial  kind, 

Shot  poisoned  arrows  thro'  his  sickening  mind  ? 

Has  Mary,  vastly  knowing  of  her  charms, 

Set  on  the  dogs,  and  warned  him  from  her  arms  ? 

A  sad   mishap !    But  such  as  oft  takes  place, 

None  hold  possession  long  in  Mary's  grace. 

Is  this  the  cause  why  all  his  lines,  that  rose 

To  flowery  rhyme,  now  sink  to  lazy  prose  ? 

Is  this  the  cause  why  now  he  hangs  his  head, 

Nods  in  his  school,  and  sleepless  turns  in  bed  ? 

If  this  the  cause,  the  Muses  1  acquit, 

And  you,  Friend  Fuller,  you  shall  have  a  bit 

Of  my  advice.     The  Muses  are  not  blamed, 

If,  by  some  earthly  goddess  more  inflamed, 

You  leave  their  glorious  service,  and  engage, 

With  nymphs  terrestrial,  Venus's  wars  to  wage. 

Aonian  maids  despise  to  share  your  heart ; 

Give  us  the  whole,  they  cry,  or  not  a  part. 

But  if,  O  Muses,  if  some  other  cause, 

Has  lost  your  son  protection  from  your  laws, 

For  him  I  intercede.     If  e'er  my  prayers 

Arose  as  welcome  offerings  to  your  ears, 

If  e'er  I  eulogized  your  powers  divine, 

Or  sketched  your  glories  in  the  sounding  line, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  89 

If  e'er  you  bore  me  on  your  fleety  wings 
To  where  your  chorus  tune  their  lyric  strings, 
If  e'er  I  knew  you  on  Parnassus's  height, 
Bedecked  with  pearls  and  strewed  with  living  light, 
Hear  my  request,  who  now  before  you  bend, 
Hear  my  request ;  for  once  forgive  my  friend ! 
If  he  has  told  too  much  of  lies,  or  truth, 
Forgive  it,  as  the  foible  of  his  youth. 
Whate'er  his  crime,  forgive,  forgive  this  once, 
Nor  call  him  more  a  blockhead  nor  a  dunce. 
Now,  mighty  Muses,  to  your  favor  take  him, 
Nor  thus,  with  unrelenting  heart,  forsake  him ! 

I  have  labored  thro'  my  petition.  It  is  undoubtedly  a  very 
fine  sample  of  poetry ;  I  shall  not  and  have  not  read  it  over. 
As  my  ill  health  prevented  my  visiting  at  Commencement,  I 
sent  your  letter  by  a  safe  hand.  I  was  to  set  out  for  Boston 
this  day,  had  I  been  in  health.  J.  Wheelock  called  on  me 
yesterday,  and  made  one  of  the  family  to  church.  I  did  not 
perceive  that  the  severity  of  the  weather  had  lessened  the  longi 
tude  of  his  nose. 

I  have  had  but  one  ride  since  I  arrived  here,  which  was  to 

Boscawen.     Saw  Miss ,  &c.     Miss  O.,  I  am  told,  is  very 

sick ;  possibly  she  now  is  departing  into  a  world  of  spirits,  pure 
and  lovely  as  her  own.  There  can  be  no  danger  in  avowing 
a  passion  after  its  object  has  ceased  to  exist.  If  ever  I  had  a 
wish;  but  what  am  I  saying?  I  leave  the  subject;  were  I 
writing  a  system  of  Philosophy  I  should  digress  into  the  vale  of 
feelings ;  but  I  am  abrupt  and  impertinent.  Pardon  me  for  the 
ideas  I  have  suggested. 

I  am,  dear  Weld,  your  affectionate, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 

Respects  to  Mr.  Davis  and  lady,  your  friends  et  cetera, 
Good  night ;  sleep  sound. 

8* 


90  PKIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  June  14,  1801.     T.'s  Office. 

DEAR  HERVEY, — My  first  business  is  to  inquire  about  Si« 
monds ;  O,  that  I  could  be  assured  he  were  recovering;  but 
perhaps  that  is  a  happiness  never  to  be  allowed  us.  Let  our 
prayers  ascend  together  for  his  well-being,  whether  with  us  or  in 
another  world.  If  there  be  any  possible  method  of  communica 
tion,  pray  let  me  hear  how  he  is. 

I  have  next  to  tell  you  that  I  am  in  no  inconsiderable  con 
sternation.  About  ten  minutes  ago  friend  Gilbert  and  I  were 
taking  a  walk  a  few  rods  down  street,  when  we  perceived  a 
chaise,  containing  a  gentleman  and  lady,  the  latter  of  whom  we 
concluded  looked  very  well,  while  at  a  distance;  judge  my 
surprise,  when  I  saw,  as  the  carriage  passed  me,  that  its  fair 
inhabitant  was  no  other  than  SALLY  !  The  chaise  drove  so  fast 
I  only  had  time  to  bow  and  blush,  and  receive  a  smile  and  a 
look  as  the  carriage  passed  on. 

I  hoped  she  would  stop  at  the  tavern,  but  no.  On  inquiring 
of  my  father,  I  found  the  gentleman  to  be  a  young  major,  by  the 
name  of  Hale. 

So  Sally  you  see  is  gone ;  yes,  gone !  gone !  I  was  going  to 
Concord  to-morrow,  but . .  . 

Good-bye,  Jemmy !     I  am  your 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 

Love  to  Fanny.  Tell  no  one  where  I  am.  Don't  know 
when  I  shall  return. 


MR.   WEBSTER   TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  September  10,  1801. 

DEAR  HERVEY, — I  can  find  no  other  method  of  writing  to  my 
Hervey,  than  by  the  circuitous  journey  which  our  friend  Hutch- 
inson  proposes  to  take.  He  is  now  here,  on  his  way  to  N. 
Ipswich,  and  on  his  return  home  will  lodge  this  at  Charleston. 
I  am  now  settled  down  in  the  office,  where  I  expect  to  obtain  a 
smattering  of  law  knowledge.  With  me  is  Mr.  Abbott,  whom 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  91 

I  mentioned  to  you  at  Commencement.     If  any  one  could  fill 
the  place  vacated  by  your  absence,  it  is  he. 

Company,  other  than  what  occasionally  falls  into  the  office, 
we  have  none.  This  you  might  conclude  from  the  situation  of 
the  place.  My  present  business  is  the  perusal  of  Vattel  on 
National  Law.  I  expect  next  to  review  Burlamaqui  and  Montes 
quieu,  and  to  read  Hume,  before  I  commence  an  inquiry  into 
the  principles  of  municipal  and  common  law. 

Thus  am  I.  Now,  pray,  how  are  you  ?  What  law-shop,  what 
divinity-closet,  or  what  medical  chamber  confines  you  ?  I  pre 
sume,  however,  you  are  not  yet  engaged  in  either,  but  I  appre 
hend  you  are  thinking  about  something. 

Mr.  Green,  the  attorney  at  Concord,  communicated  a  wish  to 
me,  that  I  would  give  his  compliments  to  some  respectable 
young  gentleman,  and  inform  him  that  he  expects  soon  to  be  in 
want  of  a  clerk,  and  that  any  gentleman  of  character  and  prom 
ise,  who  may  feel  disposed  to  read  in  his  office,  shall  be  entitled 
to  his  tuition  gratis.  Mr.  Green  is  a  respectable  law  character, 
and  his  reputation  as  a  private  gentleman,  no  one,  as  I  know, 
impeaches.  Board  at  Concord  is  easily  to  be  obtained  on  rea 
sonable  terms. 

Now  I  would  not  advise,  but  suggest  a  few  considerations. 
It  is  not  to  be  doubted  that  you  can  obtain  more  information  in 
four  years,  with  the  deduction  of  three  months  from  every  year, 
than  by  three  years'  continued  application.  That  is,  if  in  those 
said  three  months  you  are  able  to  read  law,  when  not  in  school. 
At  Concord,  you  could  undoubtedly  obtain  employment  three 
months  in  each  year,  and  the  amount  for  your  wages  for  this 
time  would  pay  your  board  the  other  nine  months. 

Concord  is  a  pleasant  village.  Mr.  McFarland,  Mr.  Flag, 
and  others,  would  unite  with  you  in  harmony  of  sound  and  har 
mony  of  sentiment.  The  town  library  affords  a  field  of  miscel 
laneous  reading,  and,  another  source  of  improvement,  the  ladies 
of  Concord  are  very  learned. 

If  it  be  an  observation  of  weight,  that  in  the  event  of  your 
living  there  we  should  meet  often,  I  submit  it. 

Duty  to  Mr.  Green  obliged  me  to  mention  his  proposals,  in 
the  first  instance,  to  the  best  man  I  knew,  and  my  own  feelings 
urge  me  to  address  the  request  to  you  with  particular  earnest 
ness. 


{)•)  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

I  have  not  heard  from  Hanover  since  I  left.     I  hope  the  best 
things  for  them  all,  philosophy,  divinity,  &c. 

Give  my  regards  to  your  good  father,  Captain  Minor,  Doctor 
Merrill,  and  all  friends,  and  believe  me  ever  to  be  yours, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.   WEBSTER   TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  September  22,  1801. 

BROTHER  HERVEY, — I  yesterday  opened  the  packet  which 
contained  your  letter,  with  a  mixture  of  hope  and  fear,  anxiety 
and  indifference.  As  it  came  by  way  of  Hanover,  I  suspected 
it  might  be  a  communication  from  that  place,  replete  with 
groans  and  despondency,  which,  however  I  pity,  I  cannot  relieve. 
But  when  I  perceived  it  bore  the  marks  of  your  penmanship,  I 
confess  in  honesty,  that  I  felt  more  exultation  of  spirit  than  has 
been  my  allotment  since  I  saw  you  last. 

I  have  been  fixing  on  a  time  to  visit  you  ever  since  Com 
mencement,  but  the  uncertainty  of  finding  you  has  kept  me 
from  attempting  it. 

I  am  sure  you  must  read  with  pleasure  and  advantage  in  Mr. 
West's  office,  if  you  should  conclude  upon  it,  as  I  hope  you 
will,  if  you  do  not  see  fit  to  come  down  nearer  us. 

I  have  precipitated  myself  into  an  office,  with  how  much 
prudence  I  do  not  now  allow  myself  to  reflect.  I  am  not  like 
you,  harassed  with  dreams,  nor  troubled  with  any  waverings  of 
inclination ;  but  am  rather  sunken  in  indifference  and  apathy. 
I  have  read  some  since  Commencement,  learned  a  little,  forgot 
ten  a  good  deal,  and  should  be  glad  to  forget  much  more.  As 
to  Coke  and  Blackstone,  whom  you  mention  as  my  probable 
intimates,  "  I  tender  them  the  homage  of  my  high  respects,"  and 
leave  the  "tenure  of  their  position  undisturbed."  With  the 
assistance  of  my  first  minister,  Monsieur  Gallatin,  formerly  called 
Leo,  I  have  dismissed  from  the  office  of  this  life,  a  few  federal 
partridges,  pigeons,  and  squirrels,  and  have  drawn  from  the 
abundance  of  Merrimac  a  few  anti-federal  fishes,  no  loaves, 
such  as  sword-back,  perch,  and  flat-headed  demi-semi-crotchet- 
quavers,  alias  scaly  flat-sides.  I'll  mend  pen. 

Thus,  you  see,  I  follow  the  fashion  of  the  great. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  93 

There  is  a  disciple  of  Hume,  the  skeptic,  in  the  other  corner 
of  the  office,  who  doubts  whether  the  sun  be  anything  or  nothing. 
I  shall  leave  Abbott  to  convert  him  from  his  errors,  and  go  on 
to  tell  you  that  I  have  seen  Dr.  Gerrish,  who  had  much  to  inter 
rogate  about  you,  and  joined  his  request  to  mine  that  you  would 
come  to  Concord  if  agreeable  to  your  interest. 

Sanbornton  folks  are  as  usual.  Andrew  does  business  as  fast 
as  ever,  and  every  week  calls  at  the  office.  I  must  have  some 
dinner. 

I  expect  to  meet  many  disappointments  in  the  prosecution  of 
the  law.  I  find  I  have  calculated  too  largely  on  the  profession. 

For  this  reason  I  have  engaged  a  new  auxiliary  to  support 
me  under  mortification ;  it  is  tobacco.  I  have  heard  much  of 
philosophical  fortitude,  but  never  knew  what  it  was,  unless  it  be 
a  sullen  unfeelingness,  a  cold  temper,  or  inhuman  heart.  But 
tobacco  inspires  courage  of  another  kind,  deliberate,  yet  immov 
able  ;  affectionate  and  feeling,  yet  despising  danger.  Since  I 
have  used  this  great  catholicon,  I  suspect  that  Cato  and  John 
Rogers  were  not  unacquainted  with  the  virtues  of  the  goodly 
leaf;  else  whence  derived  they  their  firmness?  Oh!  tobacco, 
how  many  hearts  hast  thou  saved  from  the  destructions  of 
coquetry  !  How  many  throats  of  bankrupts  hast  thou  preserved 
from  their  own  penknives ! 

Come,  then,  tobacco,  new-found  friend, 
Come,  and  thy  suppliant  attend 

In  each  dull,  lonely  hour ; 
And  though  misfortunes  lie  around, 
Thicker  than  hailstones  on  the  ground, 

I'll  rest  upon  thy  power. 
Then,  while  the  coxcomb  pert  and  proud, 
The  politician  learned  and  loud, 

Keep  one  eternal  clack, 
I'll  tread  where  silent  nature  smiles, 
Where  solitude  our  woes  beguiles, 

And  chew  thee,  dear  tobac. 

If  you  will  write  me  immediately,  dear  Hervey,  and  inform 
me  where  I  shall  find  you,  I  will  set  out  in  the  course  of  a  few 
weeks.  I  would  not  ride  forty  miles  to  see  anybody  living  but 


94  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

yourself;  but  since  'tis  you,  I  will  do  it  gladly.  I  have  a  thou 
sand  things  to  talk  about  beside  my  tobacco.  College  still  has 
its  impressions.  My  thoughts  will  look  back  to  Hanover  now 
and  then,  but  as  they  cannot  contemplate  you  there,  they  turn 
back  dissatisfied.  Ezekiel  sets  out  next  week  for  the  place  of 
his  residence.  I  shall  send  the  Carey  letters  by  him  to  Hanover, 
where  he  will  put  them  in  the  mail. 

Lemuel  is  reading  divinity  at  Boscawen  with  Mr.  Wood, 
and  is  the  only  one  of  our  class  I  have  seen  since  the  valedictory 
day.  You  will  see  the  propriety  of  apologizing  as  much  as 
possible  for  the  sterility  of  Commencement.  Tell  people  it  is 
because  they  discouraged  genius. 

I  hope  to  squeeze  your  hand  soon ;  till  when  I  have  no  other 
enjoyment  than  books  afford,  together  with  the  society  of  my 
second  Hervey,  Abbott,  and  Mr.  Thompson,  who,  when  he 
relaxes  from  business,  which  he  prosecutes  with  unwearied  at 
tention,  is  entertaining  and  instructive. 

Good-bye,  Jemmy;  you  may  guess,  but  I  cannot  tell,  how 
much  happiness  is  wished  you  by 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  Look,  I  really  have  written  this  illegibly  and  inaccu 
rately.  Pray  let  no  one  see  it,  for  though  it  is  shameful  to  be 
under  the  necessity  of  such  a  request,  I  am  unwilling  to  be 
exposed.  Present  me  to  your  parents  and  friends  with  respect. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    COFFIN. 

Salisbury,  October  3,  1801. 

DEAR  SIR, — You  will  have  the  goodness  to  pardon  me  for  not 
sending  you  a  catalogue  by  Mr.  Whitmore ;  he  left  so  abruptly, 
that  it  was  out  of  my  power.  I  now  enclose  you  two,  and  wish 
you  much  entertainment  in  the  perusal. 

I  fell  into  a  law  office,  pretty  much  by  casualty,  after  Com 
mencement,  where  I  am  at  present.  Considering  how  long  I 
must  read,  prospects  are  not  very  flattering,  but  perhaps  I  may 
find  room  hereafter  in  some  wilderness,  where  the  violet  has  not 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  95 

resigned  her  tenement,  to  make  writs  without  disturbance  of 
rivals,  if  there  should  be  nobody  to  purchase. 

Our  Commencement  was  not  so  long  in  exercises  as  is  usual. 
I  hope,  however,  the  audience  accepted  what  was  performed 
well.  Lyman,  it  is  said,  gave  a  good  Philosophic.  The  Vale 
dictory  was  thought  decent.  The  Forensic  and  Dialogue  were 
not  so  argumentative  and  amusing ;  the  other  performances 
were  in  unknown  tongues. 

Our  class  are  much  inclined  to  the  law,  but  I  believe  we  have 
all  mistaken  our  talents.  "We  have  those  that  might  be  good 
divines,  and  perhaps  eminent  physicians.  But,  in  honesty,  it  is 
not  my  opinion  that  any  individual  has  brilliancy,  and  at  the 
same  time  penetration  and  judgment  enough,  for  a  great  law 
character. 

Present  me,  if  you  will,  to  Mrs.  and  Mr.  Mellen ;  to  friends 
Charles,  Noyes,  &c.,  and  assure  yourself  of  the  esteem  of 

DANIEL  WEBSTER.  , 

P.  S.  Please  give  me  an  account  of  the  business  I  left  at 
your  office. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  October  26,  1801. 

0  BINGHAM,  and  Bingham  forever !  There  is  a  kind  of  magic 
in  your  pen  ;  I  know  not  how  it  is,  but  if  you  write  in  a  lan 
guage  perfectly  unknown,  you  afford  me  more  pleasure  than  a 
well-penned  and  intelligible  letter  from  a  common  friend.   •  Of 
all  folks  in  the  world  I  should  last  think  of  nattering  you ;  but, 
in  honesty,  I  knew  not  how  closely  our  feelings  were  inter 
woven  ;  had  no  idea  how  hard  it  would  be  to  live  apart,  when 
the  hope  of  living  together  again  no  longer  existed.    However  it 
may  be  thought  rebellion  against  nature,  I  must  confess,  if  I 
were  this  day  to  embark  for  Europe,  my  regret  at  leaving  any 
other  person  would  not  be  greater  than  at  leaving  you.     You 
may  judge  therefore,  whether  your  letters  are  not  acceptable. 

1  rejoice  most  heartily  to  learn  that  you  are  settled  so  agree 
ably.     Charlestown  must  be  a  pleasant   place.     Though  your 
cousin  Solon  be  absent,  yet  you  will,  no  doubt,  find  friends.     I 


96  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

agree  with  you,  that  Mr.  Hale  is  one  of  the  best  "fraters"  So 
far  as  I  know  him,  I  highly  respect  him. 

Report  speaks  extremely  well  of  Mr.  West ;  representing  him 
as  the  oracle  of  the  law,  in  Cheshire  County.  The  only  objec 
tion  I  ever  heard  against  him,  is  his  unwillingness  to  enter  into 
public  employment,  at  a  period  when  the  perverse  nature  of  the 
times  renders  his  talents  and  character  necessary.  You  must, 
T  think,  make  proficiency  with  him ;  if  I  judge  from  your  pro 
gress  hitherto,  you  will  take  your  leave  of  me  soon.  You  have 
actually  read  almost  as  much  law  as  I,  though  you  have  been 
at  it  not  half  so  long.  I  was  reading  Shakespeare,  when  I 
received  your  letter,  but  soon  laid  him  by,  and  took  up  Black- 
stone. 

Mr.  Thompson  has  gone  to  Boston,  Mr.  Abbott  to  Salem, 
and  I  am  in  consequence  alone,  and  shall  be  probably  for  some 
weeks.  I  have  made  some  few  writs,  and  am  now  about  to 
bring  an  action  of  trespass  for  breaking  a  violin.  The  owner 
of  the  violin  was  at  a  husking,  where  "  His  jarring  concord,  and 
his  discord  dulcet "  were  making  the  girls  skip  over  the  husks 
as  nimbly  as  Virgil's  Camilla  over  the  tops  of  the  corn,  till  an 
old  surly  creature  caught  his  fiddle  and  broke  it  against  the 
wall.  For  the  sake  of  having  plump  witnesses,  the  plaintiff 
will  summon  all  the  girls  to  attend  the  trial  at  Concord. 

If  the  Funeral  Oration  be  thought  decent,  I  am  contented  ; 
equal  to  the  subject  it  is  not.  The  death  of  Simonds  was  a 
theme  on  which  the  first  writers  ought  to  be  proud  to  point 
their  pens.  "  Hei  mihi  !  Qualis  erat !  "  I  know  not  how  many 
times  I  have  been  asked,  whether  you  were  not  to  read  law  in 
this  quarter.  A  lady  observed,  she  should  be  very  well  pleased 
to  have  Mr.  B.  in  the  office.  Surely  she  would  not  be  more 
pleased  than  I.  My  old  friend  Harper  is  expected  here  soon,  to 
finish  his  reading.  A  rich  acquisition  to  the  gallantry  of  our 
office.  The  scarcity  of  company  here  renders  it  impossible  to 
spend  time  pleasantly  abroad ;  for  entertainment,  I  betake  my 
self  to  Mr.  T.'s  belles-lettres  library,  which  affords  a  pretty  variety 
of  reading.  How  Mr.  Harper  will  relish  our  amusements  is  not 
to  be  told  ;  I  wish  he  may  be  pleased. 

Friend  Lemy  is  at  Mr.  Wood's,  reading  the  best  of  all  pro 
fessions.  He  certainly  has  gained  cent,  per  cent,  the  last  year. 
Campbell  went  to  Concord  after  Commencement,  and  rode 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.    •  97 

round  with  Miss  Abbott ;  he 's  gone !  Cupid  has  bored  his  heart 
through  like  a  sieve.  Doctor  Gridley  is  really  doing  well ;  he 
thinks  you  neglect  him  in  not  writing  to  him. 

"  Powerful,"  indeed,  is  our  representation  to  Congress. 
Goodrich,  Granger,  Edwards,  step  ye  aside !  I  have  not  heard 
a  word  from  F.  Hunt ;  nor  from  Herbert.  Am  alarmed  at  intel 
ligence  from  Clarke ;  he  is  said  to  be  declining  visibly !  Brackett, 
I  believe,  is  in  good  health  .  .  . 

Afternoon. — The  most  unpleasant  information  I  have  yet  to 
communicate.  The  "  state  of  things  "  renders  it  highly  doubtful 
whether  I  stay  in  this  office  two  weeks !  I  certainly  shall  not 
under  present  circumstances.  My  father  sets  out  on  a  journey 
next  week,  the  issue  of  which  wiU  determine  me.  It  mortifies 
me,  beyond  expression,  to  relinquish  my  study  at  this  period ; 
but  I  cannot,  cannot  help  it !  Necessity  is  unrelenting  and 
imperious.  If  I  should  leave  this  place,  I  look  to  the  Province 
of  Maine  for  residence ;  or  perhaps  Salem.  Am  I  to  run  Carey's 
race  ?  O !  O !  Dear  Hervey,  how  changeable  is  fortune ! 
Seven  weeks  ago  I  was  fixed,  and  you  wavering ;  now  you  are 
settled,  and  I  probably  on  the  point  of  removing.  I  never  was 
half  so  much  dispirited  as  now.  Though  I  make  myself  easy 
as  I  can,  yet  I  am  really  very  unpleasantly  circumstanced. 
"Well,  I  owe  submission  to  the  awards  of  Providence.  I  will 
submit.  I  must  see  you  before  I  go,  if  I  should  go,  for  probably 
I  shall  not  meet  you  again  very  soon. 

I  look  with  great  anxiety  to  the  termination  of  next  week. 
May  it  be  successful ! !  Good-bye,  James,  may  mercy  take  care 
of  you.  Accept  all  the  tenderness  I  have. 

D.  WEBSTER. 

Mr.  Thompson  is  made  Trustee  of  Dartmouth  College. 

Doctor  Gerrish  is  anxious  to  see  you.  Of  nobody  he  talks  so 
much  when  I  see  him.  I  tell  him  you  will  no  doubt  visit  San- 
bornton  in  the  winter,  and  we  calculate  on  having  a  good  inter 
view.  But  I  am  resolved  to  see  you  before  winter,  else,  perhaps, 
I  shall  see  you  not  at  all.  Lovejoy  is  happy  as  a  churchman 
with  his  new  little  wife.  All  the  rest  of  Sanbornton  is  just  as 
you  left  it.  Doctor  G.  lives  in  his  own  house  ;  has  taken  in  a 
family. 

I  thank  you  for  your  receipt  for  greasing  boots.  Have  this 
VOL.  i.  9 


98  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

afternoon  to  ride  to  the  South  road,  and  in  truth  my  boots  ad 
mit  not  only  water,  but  peas  and  gravel-stones.  I  wish  I  had 
better  ones.  As  for  my  new  "  friend  tobacco,"  he  is  like  most 
of  that  name  ;  has  made  me  twice  sick  and  is  now  dismissed. 

Heigho !  A  man  wants  a  remedy  against  his  neighbor,  whose 
lips  were  found  damage  feasant  on  his,  the  plaintiff's,  wife's 
cheek  !  What  is  to  be  done  ?  But  you  have  not  read  the  law 
about  kissing.  I  will  write  for  advice  and  direction  to  Barrister 
Fuller. 

N.  B.  Let  no  one  know  that  I  think  of  quitting  these  realms. 

Write  often,  my  best  friend,  for  these  conveniences  of  corre 
spondence  may  not  last  long.  As  you  once  told  me,  "  write 
soon,  write  very  soon,  write  now ! " 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  December  8,  1801. 

MY  BEST  FRIEND, — Some  few  days  since  I  received  your  let 
ter  dated  October  30.  What  accident  retarded  it  so  long  I  know 
not,  but  I  was  almost  afraid  that  you  had  forgotten  to  write 
me.  Perhaps  it  was  detained  at  Hanover,  though  I  could  wish 
it  to  hurry  through  that  place  as  fast  as  possible.  When  I  wrote 
you  last,  I  had  little  expectation  of  writing  you  again  from  this 
place.  Having  found  myself  at  home  after  Commencement,  I 
found  on  consideration,  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  my 
father,  under  existing  circumstances,  to  continue  Ezekiel  at  col 
lege.  Drained  of  all  his  little  income  by  the  expenses  of  my 
education  thus  far,  and  broken  down  in  his  exertions  by  some 
ever  lamented  family  occurrences,  I  saw  he  could  not  afford 
Ezekiel  means  to  live  abroad  with  ease  and  independence,  and 
I  knew  too  well  the  evils  of  penury  to  wish  him  to  stay  half  beg 
gared  at  college.  I  thought  it  therefore  my  duty  to  suffer  some 
delay  in  my  profession,  for  the  sake  of  serving  my  elder  brother, 
and  was  making  a  little  interest  in  some  places  to  the  eastward, 
for  an  employment.  My  father,  however,  determined,  if  possible, 
to  hire  a  few  hundreds,  till  future  days,  being  very  averse  to  my 
leaving  him.  He  accordingly  rode  to  Exeter,  told  his  Excellency* 

*  Governor  Gilman. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  99 

of  the  state  of  affairs,  and  the  good  Governor  helped  him  to 
what  he  wanted,  on  reasonable  terms.  This  was  much  more 
favorable  than  I  expected,  and  I  have  now  hopes  of  continuing 
here  for  the  present.  Scarcely  five  miles  absent  from  this  place 
have  I  been  since  Commencement.  I  defer  all  short  visits,  till 
I  can  put  them  together,  and  make  them  reach  Charlestown. 
You  say  I  must  be  there  in  May ;  but  I  say  I  must  see  you 
before  that  time.  I  will  not  consent  to  your  propositions,  if 
they  put  our  meeting  so  far  forward.  Ezekiel  tells  me  you  have 
been  at  Hanover.  Well,  what  did  you  see  and  hear  ?  I  think 
I  can  answer  myself.  You  saw  Nabby  and  heard  Wisdom  sing. 
Did  the  girls  all  smile  on  you  ?  Did  Weld  rejoice  to  see  you  ? 
Did  Shattuck  reach  out  slowly  an  honest  hand  ?  Did  Merrill  call 
to  see  you,  and  did  good  Sir  *  *  *,  with  a  hypocritical  smile,  and 
a  bishop's  bow,  say,  "  How  do  you,  Mr.  Bingham?"  and  falsely 
add,  "  I'm  glad  to  see  you  ?  "  All  this,  I  make  no  doubt,  took 
place.  Hammond  picked  a  bone  with  me  at  Thanksgiving; 
there  is  an  honesty  about  him  I  always  loved,  though  it  is 
sometimes  quite  unaccommodating  to  squeamish  stomachs.  He 
tells  me  that  the  U.  F.  are  full  in  all  their  cases,  times,  and 
modes,  while  the  Socials  gaudent  vocativo,  which,  you  know, 
is  almost  always  wanting.  I  fear  Hammond  is  in  a  labyrinth 
of  entanglements.  Mary,  la  bonne,  I  suspect,  sends  her  heart 
after  him  wherever  he  goes.  If  there  were  to  be  a  new 
edition  of  human  nature,  I  think  it  would  be  found  expedient 
to  give  the  girls  stronger  ribs  and  a  thicker  pericardium.  I  say 
a  plague  to  the  girls,  if  they  cant  keep  their  little  beaters  at 
home. 

The  only  news  I  hear,  is  the  marriage  of  our  classmate 
Taylor !  Can  you  believe  it,  it  staggers  my  conceptions  abso 
lutely.  Methinks  I  can  this  moment  see  the  good  man,  in  his 
usual  altitude,  addressing  his  mate,  and  with  clerical  gestures 
breathing  out  the  pathos  of  the  English  Iliad,  thro'  "  hems " 
and  "  hahs." 

"  Andromache — my — soul's — far — better — pa-part ! ! " 

The  day  of  his  marriage  he  thinks,  no  doubt,  the  first  of  his 
happiness  ;  the  language  of  Milton  will  aptly  apply, 


100  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

"  All  Heaven 

And  happy  constellations  on  that  hour 
Shed  their  selectest  influence ! " 


Freeborn  called  and  spent  four  or  five  days  with  me  lately ; 
he  is  now  at  Hanover  with  Dr.  Smith.  Noyes  is  keeping 
school,  school,  school.  Bliss  is  reading  divinity  with  Mr. 
Wood. 

Since  Gideon  became  Postmaster- General,  Mr.  Thompson  is 
uncertain  about  his  continuance  in  the  deputy  post-office.  He 
is  acquainted  with  Gideon,  and  thinks  it  a  good  time  to  see 
whether  democratic  rage  is  stronger  than  every  other  principle. 
But  I  think  Gideon  will  oust  him,  for  there  are  several  gentle 
men  this  way,  who  are  heirs  in  expectancy  and  reversion,  and 
they  will  make  every  endeavor  to  get  it  for  themselves,  as  they 
suppose,  poor  souls,  that  an  office  which  affords  eight  or  ten 
dollars  per  annum,  will  make  them  rich  ! 

I  have  read  Robertson,  Vattel,  and  three  volumes  of  Black- 
stone,  and  a  little  miscellaneous  stuff  of  no  account.  I  hope  to 
go  on  more  rapidly  now,  for  I  feel  more  at  ease  than  I  have 
done  heretofore.  My  old  and  good  friend,  Harper,  is  with  us. 
I  presume  he  will  give  us  an  oration  on  the  28th  instant,  on 
Free  Masonry.  No  doubt  he  will  be  eloquent  and  impressive, 
and  though  anti-masonic  Robison  were  now  groaning  in  Tar 
tarus,  the  flashes  of  Harper's  genius  would  enlighten  his  black 
atmosphere,  and  dart  truth  and  conviction  into  the  recesses  of 
Pluto's  kingdom ! ! 

Mr.  Abbott  is  my  only  inmate ;  he  is  good  and  friendly,  and 
I  shall  sincerely  lament  the  hour  that  takes  him  from  the  office. 
I  wish  you  knew  him ;  you  would  surely  respect  him. 

Do  write  me  every  time  you  think  you  can  afford  it.  I  wish 
to  write  often,  very  often,  for  your  letters  to  me  I  prize  at  the 
value  of  a  "  cow  and  calf." 

Depend  on  it,  I  will  see  you  the  first  visit  I  make,  and  depend, 
too,  that  I  ever  shall  esteem  you, 

"  My  true  and  honorable  friend, 
As  dear  to  me  as  are  the  ruddy  drops 
That  visit  my  sad  heart." 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  101 

Postscript.  I  see  no  ladies  ;  they  are  scarce  articles  with  us. 
The  Damas  are  all  at  Charlestown.  Do  give  my  love  to  some 
of  them,  for  you  know  my  heart  always  overflows  with  affection 
for  the  sex.  Where  do  you  board  ?  Will  you  write  me  next 
mail? 

Do  you  hear  from  C.  ?  Tell  me  about  him  if  so.  Give  my 
best  respects  to  your  honored  father,  Captain  Minor,  &c. 

Good-bye,  Good  Boy.  D.  W. 

u  Ireland's  Hogarth "  I  know  would  delight  me.  Painting 
and  statuary  are  art*-  of  which  I  have  very  imperfect  concep 
tions.  Poetry  I  have  read  and  music  have  heard,  but  the 
speaking  canvas  and  the  breathing  marble  are  not  familiar  to 
me.  If  I  can,  I  will  tarry  with  you  long  enough  to  peruse  it. 
Have  you  read  Cowper's  piece  on  Conversation  ?  You  will 
find  it  in  his  first  volume  of  poems,  and  I  promise  you  pay  for 
reading  it.  It  snowed  some  last  night,  I  rejoice  to  see  it. 
How  innocent  Madam  Nature  looks  with  such  a  zone  about 
her!  Is  it  not  prettier  than  the  red  ribbons  of  our  Misses  ?  Red 
is  a  bloody  color ;  I  like  it  not. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

SINCE,  friend  Habijah,  you  are  thus  distrest, 
Since  Love's  fierce  tortures  thus  inflame  your  breast, 
Since  *     *  's  charms  forever  haunt  your  dreams, 
And  her  fail  form  before  you  always  seems, 
A  little  poetry,  perhaps,  might  roll 
Love's  boiling  torrent  from  your  troubled  soul. 

I  too,  with  Muses  straying  thro'  the  grove, 
May  soothe  my  pains,  though  not  the  pains  of  love. 
For  those  blest  fields,  where  Love's  gay  Graces  reign, 
I  once  have  tried,  and  tried,  alas !  in  vain. 
No  longer  on  those  verdant  banks  I  tread, 
No  longer  wander  o'er  the  flowery  mead ; 
9* 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFG 
SANTA  BARBARA  COLLEGE  L 


102  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Those  fragrant  lawns  of  Love,  which  you  explore, 

I  once,  perhaps,  have  known,  but  know  no  more. 

i 

Come  then,  together  let  us  beat  the  field, 
Where  Arts  and  Science  their  best  laurels  yield, 
Together  let  us  climb  the  ethereal  height, 
Where  Freedom's  flambeaux  shed  a  living  light ! 
To  sing  Columbia,  then,  shall  be  our  care, 
Her  arts,  her  arms,  her  heroes,  and  her  fair. 
Columbia,  hail !     Thy  glories  fire  my  song, 
Thy  worth  deserves,  to  thee  the  bays  belong ! 
See  Science  glow  within  thy  peaceful  realm, 
See  her  bright  blaze  old  ignorance  o'erwhelm ! 
See  yon  proud  dome  now  register  her  name ! 
See  Dartmouth  blazon  the  bright  rolls  of  fame ! 
Columbia's  arms,  too,  soon  shall  awe  the  world, 
And  kings  and  tyrants  from  their  thrones  be  hurled, 
Her  every  hero  shall  a  Eugene  prove, 
And  bow  to  no  one,  but  the  thundering  Jove. 
Her  fair  now  rival  Argos's  nymphs  divine, 
Though  all  her  daughters,  not  like  *  *  *  shine, 
For  when  she  gently  rolls  that  sparkling  eye, 
When  her  soft  bosom  heaves  the  tender  sigh, 
Not  Venus'  self  to  Paris  did  appear 
Half  so  divine,  so  lovely,  or  so  fair ! ! 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Fryeburg,  February  25,  1802. 

MY  GOOD  HERVEY, — The  date  of  this  will  inform  you  where 
I  am.  Yes,  James,  I  am  at  Fryeburg.  I  came  here  six  weeks 
ago,  and  took  charge  of  the  Academy.  My  engagements  are 
for  two  quarters,  and  the  probability  is  I  shall  then  leave  here. 
It  is  quite  an  object  with  me  to  put  myself  into  some  urbanic 
place,  the  time  I  am  out  of  study.  Nothing  here  is  unpleasant ; 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  103 

there  is  a  pretty  little  society.  The  people  treat  me  with  kind 
ness,  and  I  have  the  fortune  to  find  myself  in  a  very  good 
family.  I  see  little  female  company,  but  that  is  an  item  with 
which  I  can  conveniently  enough  dispense.  Your  old  acquaint 
ance,  Mrs.  Dana,  lives  next  door,  I  am  frequently  there ;  they 
live  in  a  neat,  handsome,  sociable  style.  Nabby  is  somewhat 
expected  here  soon ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dana  are  now  gone  to 
Hanover,  and  will  wish  her  to  return  with  them.  O,  Bingham  ! 
But  a  schoolmaster  must  not  sigh.  Having  said  so  much 
about  myself,  I  will  next  talk  of  you.  You  are  not  noted,  that 
I  know  of,  for  paying  your  devoirs  to  that  uncertain  gossip 
caUed  Fame ;  yet  the  creature,  through  some  unaccountable 
fancy,  seems  disposed  to  treat  you  with  caresses.  Mr.  Hutchins 
from  Concord  was  here  lately,  and  told  me  the  proprietors  of 
their  public  school  had  determined  to  write  you  a  pressing 
invitation  to  accept  the  instruction  of  it.  I  gave  him  no  en 
couragement,  for  I  thought  you  in  better  business,  but  told  him 
you  were  the  man,  if  they  could  obtain  you.  If  you  should  go, 
you  will  find  every  attention.  H.  is  attempting  to  instruct 
there  in  music,  and  has  rendered  himself  absolutely  ridiculous. 
His  Jacobinism  has  increased  his  infamy,  for  having  written  a 
frothy,  silly,  senseless,  ungrammatical,  misspelt  letter  to  some 
of  his  democratical  friends,  it,  perchance,  got  into  the  columns 
of  the  Courier,  and  was  fine  sport  for  our  brother-students  who 
live  in  that  quarter. 

Billings  is  keeping  school  at  Sanbornton;  he  boards  with 
Lovejoy.  I  was  there  on  my  way  hither,  and  pressed  Phoebe's 
hand,  and  inquired  if  she  thought  Mr.  Billings  a  clever  man ; 
she  said  he  was  not  clever  like  Mr.  Bingham.  I  told  her  there 
were  different  ways  of  being  clever;  she  smiled  significantly, 
and  was  silent. 

I  have  heard  nothing  from  Hanover,  since  Zeke  left  it.  He 
had  just  arrived  at  Salisbury  when  I  set  out  for  Fryeburg. 
*  *  *  *  wrote  me  that  she  was  going  to  Connecticut.  I  wish  her 
every  blessing,  but  cannot  tell  what  may  arise  hereafter.  I 
don't  know  but  my  happiness  must  be  sacrificed  to  hers.  She 
said  you  had  a  letter  for  me,  and  intimated  strongly  that  she 
wished  me  to  see  it.  You  may,  if  you  please,  put  it  into  the 
mail,  and  direct  to  me  at  Fryeburg. 

Solon,  I  fear,  is  shut  out  of  business.     The  judiciary  bill  is 


104  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

knocked  on  the  head.     Smith  will  probably  return  to  the  bar. 
"  This  is  a  land  of  Liberty,  and  the  Constitution."     Huzza ! 

Do  write  me  the  very  next  mail,  and  add  one  more  to  that 
long  chain  of  obligations,  which  bind  to  your  bosom  your  ever 
lasting  friend, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

Fryeburg,  February  26,  1802. 
ONCE  more  to  prattle  on  her  darling  theme, 
Once  more  to  wake  the  soft  mellifluous  stream, 
That  brings  us  all  our  blessings  as  it  flows, 
Whose  currents  Friendship's  golden  ore  disclose, 

The  Muse  essays  her  little  skill ; 

And  tho'  her  lightsome  lay, 

No  master's  hand  display, 
Tho'  loose  her  lyre  and  wild  her  song, 
Though  Seraph  fire  tip  not  her  tongue, 
The  friend — Oh !  such  a  friend — will  hear  her  still. 
O  Memory !  thou  Protean  friend,  or  foe, 
Parent  of  half  our  joy,  and  half  our  woe ! 
Thou  dost  the  rapture  which  I  feel  impart, 
And  thou  the  griefs  that  press  around  my  heart ; 

Thine  is  a  motley  train ; 

Despondence  there  is  seen, 

And  Sorrow,  palefaced  queen ; 
And  Gladness  there,  with  merry  face, 
That  ne'er  did  wear  a  sad  grimace, 
And  buxom  Pleasure  sporting  o'er  the  plain. 


Next  moment,  lo  !    Appears 

Some  plenteous  cause  of  tears ; 

Some  pleasure  fled,  for  pleasure  flies, 

Or  Symonds,  sped  beyond  the  skies, 

And  memory  cancels  all  the  good  she  grant 

But  if  I  poetize  further  upon  Memory,  I  shall  not  have  room 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  105 

to  tell  you  half  what  I  wish.     So  sweet  Miss  Muse,  we  will 
dismiss  you. 

Friend  Shattuck  may  have  told  you  that  I  am  here.  'Tis 
true,  Habijah,  contrary  to  all  my  expectations  I  am  here.  I  can 
not  now  address  you  as  a  brother-student  in  law,  I  am  neither 
more  nor  less  than  a  schoolmaster,  and  as  such  you  will  not, 
perhaps,  feel  yourself  much  flattered  to  hear  from  me.  You 
will  naturally  enough  inquire  what  circumstances  have  induced 
me  to  relinquish  the  law.  I  will  answer  all  your  questions  when 
I  see  you  next.  Till  then  be  satisfied  with  this,  that  I  thought 
it  best.  Six  weeks  I  have  been  on  this  ground ;  in  about  five 
or  six  months,  it  is  not  improbable  I  shall  leave  it.  Which  way 

my  next  motion  will  be,  it  is  not  to  be  told  or  known. 

*         *         *         *         *         *         #  '      *         *         # 

I  have  been  writing  some  poetry.  I  shall  not  inform  you 
what  I  have  written,  but,  from  the  accompanying  inimitable 
apostrophe  to  memory,  you  will  judge  of  the  quality  of  alJ  I 
have  wTitten. 

You  will  possibly  wish  to  ask  how  many  Misses  there  are 
here.  I  do  not  precisely  know.  I  forgot  to  bring  a  stick,  to  cut 
a  notch,  like  the  Indian,  for  every  one  I  see ;  but  I  have  heard 
no  complaint  of  scarcity.  There  is  one  who  is  amiable,  and 
who  has  this  moment  passed  by  this  table.  'Tis  her  opinion, 
it  seems,  that  "  Mr.  Webster  is  a  very  bashful  man."  He  will 
never  give  her  reason  to  think  otherwise.  But  these  things  are 
all  vanity.  I  was  last  at  Concord  in  September  or  October.  I 
can  tell  nothing  about  your  friends  there.  Our  visit  in  June  is 
blown  over,  but  you  must  go  without  me ;  you  will  have  a  bet 
ter  visit. 

If  it  will  not  be  burdensome,  pray  write  me  a  word,  I  mean 
a  good  many  words,  by  Esquire  Dana.  I  want  to  hear  a  good 
deal  about  old  Han.  Pray  be  particular  and  long  in  your 
account  of  that  place.  Whatever  you  can  make  acceptable  to 
your  family,  whether  love,  respects,  or  compliments,  pray  give 
them  from  me.  Brother  Shattuck  is  entitled  to  a  high  place  in 
my  memory,  and  tell  him  he  possesses  it.  I  cannot  tell  when  I 
may  see  you,  but  if  I  live  and  have  health,  I  shall  expect  to  dart 
an  eye  upon  the  I.  C.  School  as  soon  as  next  Commencement, 
surely  and  without  fail.  D.  WEBSTER. 


106  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

How  are  your  parents,  your  sisters,  your  friends.  In  short, 
how  is  every  thing  ?  And,  above  all,  are  you  the  Newsboy's 
message-maker?  Who  is  Bum?  Do  answer  all  these  things,  and 
oblige  THE  SCHOOLMASTER. 

Mr.  Dana  is  the  only  neighbor  I  call  on  with  great  pleasure 
and  little  ceremony.  I  have  exalted  ideas  of  his  lady.  I  can 
say  with  Shakespeare,  that  she  is  one  "  who  paragons  descrip 
tion  and  wild  fame." 

Mr.  Dana  is  quite  good  and  civil . . .  Have  you  heard  from 
Bing.  Gil.  Nye,  or  any  other  of  our  friends  ?  Clark,  Bracket, 
and  Her.  ? 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    FULLER. 

Salisbury,  May  3,  1802. 

FRIEND  FULLER, — If  you  had  not  offered  an  excuse,  still  as  it 
is,  your  long  silence  had  been  forgiven  you.  That  fancy  that 
roams  in  "  orbs  beyond  Herschel,"  hardly  stoops  to  the  humbler 
sphere  of  friendship  and  correspondence ;  and  while  we  are 
pleased  with  its  flights,  we  must  excuse  any  neglect  it  occasions. 
Really,  it  pleases  me  to  see  you  on  the  Muses'  wing  again,  and 
I  must  be  allowed  to  say  that  Telephus's  Ode  to  Washington 
hath  in  it  some  true  relish  of  the  Parnassian  waters.  I  hope  you 
will  find  Maine  more  suited  to  poetry  than  I  did  ;  although  I 
rattled  in  as  many  as  twenty  rhymes  while  in  that  Province. 
These,  you  know,  are  a  pretty  large  number  for  me.  To  be 
serious,  if  you  find  it  convenient,  I  would  earnestly  advise  you 
to  cultivate  any  propensity  to  poetry  which  you  may  possess. 
I  do  the  same  by  myself,  not  from  any  wish  to  show  my 
productions  to  the  world,  but  for  amusement,  and  to  keep  alive 
some  taste  for  the  belles-lettres.  The  law  is  certainly,  as  seems 
to  me,  rather  hard  study,  and  to  mollify  it  with  some  literary 
amusements  I  should  think  profitable. 

Hanoverians,  you  perceive,  ever  searching  for  novelty,  have 
started  the  project  of  a  Literary  Tablet.  How  do  you  think  it 
will  succeed?  My  own  expectations  are  not,  I  confess,  very 
sanguine.  The  repeated  failures  of  such  attempts  forebode  dis- 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  107 

aster  to  the  Tablet.  However,  I  wish  it  well.  Do  you  calculate 
on  becoming  a  writer  for  it  ?  Say,  honestly.  If  such  a  thing 
should  commence,  suppose  we  take  some  little  pains  to  start  up 
some  of  our  classmates  now  scattered  over  the  world's  wide 
wilderness,  to  hold  a  friendly  chit-chat  together  in  the  columns 
of  the  paper  ?  Will  it  do,  or  are  we  all  too  great  dunces  to  write 
a  paragraph?  I  have  another  whim  in  my  head  which  may 
prevent  me,  otherwise  I  would  be  willing,  in  conjunction 
with  my  friends,  to  make  one  serious  effort  to  render  the  Tablet 
respectable. 

Your  "  excellent  society  of  ladies  "  is  almost  enviable.  If  the 
"  Beauties  of  the  West "  will  not  compare  with  them,  I  am  sure 
you  will  never  be  able  to  resist.  Ere  this,  I  could  warrant,  you 
are  gone,  gone  hook  and  line,  and  love  betide  you!  It  is  true, 
as  you  say,  that  there  is  prospect  of  all  the  Hanover  Ribs  being 
sold  before  you  and  I  can  become  purchasers.  How  do  you 
think  it  would  do  to  forestall  the  market,  and,  for  the  sake  of 
security,  to  bespeak  a  Rib  in  season  ?  Hah,  hah,  hah. 

I  am  now  in  expectation  of  making  a  visit  to  old  Hanover  at 
Commencement,  if  I  can  learn  that  any  choice  friends  will  be 
there.  Do  you  expect  to  attend  ?  I  hope  you  will.  Pray  let 
me  know  soon  if  you  shall  be  at  Commencement,  as  my  deter 
mination  is  not  to  go  unless  I  can  understand  that  my  friends 

will  be  there. 

********** 

Yours,  dear  Fuller,  very  sincerely, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Fryeburg,  May  18,  1802. 

"  DEARLY  BELOVED, — Suffer  me  to  bespeak  your  attention  for 
about  six  hours,  to  the  volume  I  am  about  to  write  to  you. 
Having  just  rambled  to  the  adjacent  intervals,  which  on  ac 
count  of  the  late  rains  are  all  overflowed,  and  exhibiting  almost 
a  "  shoreless  ocean,"  I  set  myself  down  by  the  parlor  fire  to  im 
prove  a  moderate  degree  of  health  and  spirits,  in  addressing 
almost  the  earliest  friend  I  have  on  earth.  I  have  a  good  many 


108  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

things  to  talk  about,  and  am  not  disposed  to  curtail  the  conver 
sation.  Since  I  wrote  you  before,  I  have  been  within  forty  miles 
of  you ;  but  stay,  I  am  too  far  forward.  About  three  weeks 
ago  we  had  our  semi-annual  exhibition.  The  performances  of  the 
school  were  such,  I  believe,  as  gave  satisfaction  to  the  Trustees. 
In  truth,  I  was  not  much  ashamed  of  their  appearance.  The 
Trustees  were  pleased  to  pass  a  vote  of  thanks,  as  also  to  present 
their  preceptor  a  small  extraordinary  gratuity.  Following  exhi 
bition  was  a  vacation  of  2%  weeks.  Forgive  me  for  writing  in 
figures.  I  shall  be  glad  if  I  can  find  paper  for  all  I  have  to  say 
to  you,  without  stating  my  ideas  by  Algebra.  This  vacation 
I  had  devoted  to  the  reading  of  Sallust,  but  on  the  day  of  Exhi 
bition  I  had  a  letter  informing  me  that  *  Zeke '  was  very  sick  at 
college.  I  had  heard  also  that  a  young  man  at  Salisbury,  who 
was  just  about  marrying  my  oldest  sister,  was  on  the  verge  of 
death,  and  had  expressed  very  particular  and  urgent  reasons  for 
seeing  me  once  more.  Under  these  circumstances  I  immediately 
set  out  for  New  Hampshire.  I  went  directly  to  Hanover,  where 
I  found  my  brother  on  the  recovery,  though  much  out  of  sorts. 
There  also  I  saw  Fanny  and  kissed  her,  nobody  else.  She  was 
in  decent  health  when  I  first  saw  her,  but  was  taken  with  the 
cramp  the  night  I  arrived.  I  said  but  little  to  her.  I  also  saw 
Sophia ;  the  palpitation  at  her  heart  will  not,  I  fear,  suffer  her 
to  be  a  great  while  company  for  us  mortals.  She  has  frequently, 
you  know,  been  charged  with  having  palpitations  of  that  organ, 
but  I  think  she  has  one  attached  to  her  now  that  may  produce 
greater  evils  than  any  preceding  one.  I  had  not  opportunity  to 
chat  with  her  save  in  company.  Mary  Woodward  I  shook  by 
the  hand,  and  was  treated  by  her  with  more  respect  than  that 
family  have  ever  before  shown  me.  Tenney  was  there ;  he  had 
a  hard  time  with  the  measles,  though  some  thought  the  measles 
had  the  hardest  time.  I  met  with  Merrill ;  we  have  agreed  to 
correspond.  He  mentioned  with  much  satisfaction  some  letters 
he  had  received  from  you.  I  said  "  Yes,  Sir "  to  Shattuck, 
winked  at  Fuller,  and  shook  hands  with  Freeborn,  and  drank  an 
Indian  health  with  Hammond,  Cooke,  &c.  Nabby  was  at 
Woodstock.  I  saw  her  not,  yet  I  think  I  looked  that  way  to 
see  about  the  weather.  Being  so  near,  I  wished  beyond  expres 
sion  to  ride  to  that  place  where  my  Hervey  lives ;  but  the  vaca 
tion  was  so  short  I  could  at  most  have  tarried  but  one  night, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  109 

which  would  have  been  tantalizing  to  my  feelings.  I  therefore 
adjourned  it  till  September,  when  I  expect  to  leave  this  place, 
and  when,  if  it  please  Providence  to  preserve  me,  I  shall  spend 
a  week  with  you,  certainly,  certainly. 

When  I  reached  Salisbury,  I  found  that  the  young  man  whom 
I  mentioned  in  the  first  page  of  this  document,  had  been  dead 
several  days.  To  the  last  he  appeared  oppressed  with  some 
thing  he  would  reveal  to  no  one  living  but  myself,  and  that 
opportunity  never  occurred.  What  this  was,  I  cannot  con 
jecture  ;  it  might  be  something  important,  and  it  might  be  a 
whim  of  a  sick  man's  fancy.  If  he  had  done  me  any  injury  for 
which  he  wished  forgiveness,  God  knows  I  heartily  forgive  him. 
Peace  to  him ! 

I  saw  our  classmate,  Noyes,  in  Concord ;  a  brother  pedagogue. 
The  Hon.  Sirs.  Merrill,  Noyes,  and  Webster  I  would  have 
called,  from  their  profession,  Messrs.  "  Syncope,"  "  Verbum  Per- 
sonale,"  and  "  Nominativo  Gaudent ; "  these  would  be  pompous 
and  sonorous  names,  significant  of  the  high  honors  we  bear, 
being  clothed,  like  Mr.  Jefferson,  "  in  the  mantle  of  our  country's 
confidence."  By  the  way,  if  the  mantle  of  public  confidence  be 
such  a  robe  as  I  consider  his  Excellency  wearing,  it  would  be 
my  preference  to  wander  about  like  the  prophets  of  old,  in 
sheep-skins  and  goat-skins ;  but  we  shall  talk  more  of  politics  in 
the  next  volume.  I  will  go  right  on  with  my  story, 

"  And  jog  on  steady  by  the  road," 
"  Nor  wander  into  episode." 

I  spent  a  few  days  at  Salisbury,  and  thence  took  my  depar 
ture  again  for  this  place.  Had  a  pleasant  journey,  save  the 
inconvenience  which  arose  from  bad  roads  and  bad  taverns.  I 
came  to  one  innkeeper's  by  name  Knight.  From  his  appear 
ance  I  thought  he  could  be  no  Knight  of  the  '  Garter,'  or  of  the 
Bath,  but  because  I  was  much  annoyed  by  a  creature  that  stood 
in  the  corner,  I  put  him  down  for  a  Knight  of  the  Blue 
Dyepot. 

I  arrived  here  last  night ;  but  must  fill  this  page  by  relating  a 
little  anecdote  that  happened  yesterday.  I  accidentally  fell  in 
with  one  of  my  scholars,  on  his  return  to  the  academy.  He 
was  mounted  on  the  ugliest  horse  I  ever  saw  or  heard  of,  except 
"  Sancho  Panza's "  pacer.  As  I  had  two  horses  with  me,  I 
VOL.  i.  10 


110  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

proposed  to  him  to  ride  one  of  them,  and  tie  his  bag  fast  to  his 
Bucephalus ;  he  did  accordingly,  and  turned  her  forward,  where 
her  odd  appearance,  indescribable  gait,  and  frequent  stumblings, 
afforded  us  constant  amusement.  At  length  we  approached 
Saco  River,  a  very  wide,  deep,  and  rapid  stream,  when  this  satire 
on  the  animal  creation,  as  if  to  revenge  herself  on  us  for  our 
sarcasms,  plunged  into  the  river,  then  very  high  by  the  freshet, 
and  was  wafted  down  the  current  like  a  bag  of  oats !  I  could 
scarcely  sit  on  my  horse  for  laughter.  I  am  apt  to  laugh  at  the 
vexations  of  my  friends.  The  fellow,  who  was  of  my  own  age, 
and  my  room-mate,  half  checked  the  current,  by  oaths  as  big  as 
lobsters,  and  the  old  Rosinante,  who  was  all  the  while  much  at 
her  ease,  floated  up  among  the  willows  far  below  on  the  opposite 
shore. 

END   OF   THE   FIRST   VOLUME. 

P.  S.  I  am  now  going  in  to  see  Mrs.  Dana ;  when  I  return, 
I  will  go  about  the  remainder  of  the  work. 

VOLUME   II. 

I  will  in  this  volume,  my  dear  Hervey,  give  you  some  account 
of  my  circumstances,  feelings,  and  prospects.  The  salary  af 
forded  me  is  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  exclusive ;  board  is 
one  dollar  and  seventy-five  cents ;  this  is  my  academic  engage 
ment.  Fortune,  like  other  females,  does  not  always  frown.  My 
landlord  is  Register ;  and  as  he  is  extensively  in  business.  I  do 
the  writing  of  his  office ;  this  is  a  little  decent  perquisite.  If  I 
will  tarry,  the  Board  will  increase  my  salary,  and  do  every  thing 
for  me  in  their  power.  A  compensation  annually  of  five  or  six 
hundred  dollars,  a  house  to  live  in,  a  piece  of  land  to  cultivate, 
and,  inter  nos  solos,  a  clerkship  of  the  Common  Pleas,  are  now 
probably  within  the  reach  and  possession  of  your  friend,  D.  W. 

What  shall  I  do  ?  Shall  I  say  "  Yes,  Gentlemen,"  and  sit 
down  here  to  spend  my  days  in  a  kind  of  comfortable  privacy, 
or  shall  I  relinquish  these  prospects,  and  enter  into  a  profession 
where  my  feelings  will  be  constantly  harrowed  by  objects  either 
of  dishonesty  or  misfortune ;  where  my  living  must  be  squeezed 
from  penury,  (for  rich  folks  seldom  go  to  law,)  and  my  moral 
principle  continually  be  at  hazard  ?  I  agree  with  you  that  the 
law  is  well  calculated  to  draw  forth  the  powers  of  the  mind,  but 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  HI 

what  are  its  effects  on  the  heart ;  are  they  equally  propitious  ? 
Does  it  inspire  benevolence  and  awake  tenderness ;  or  does  it, 
by  a  frequent  repetition  of  wretched  objects,  blunt  sensibility 
and  stifle  the  still,  small  voice  of  mercy  ? 

The  talent  with  which  Heaven  has  intrusted  me  is  small,  very 
small,  yet  I  feel  responsible  for  the  use  of  it,  and  am  not  willing 
to  pervert  it  to  purposes  reproachful  or  unjust,  nor  to  hide  it,  like 
the  slothful  servant,  in  a  napkin. 

Now,  I  will  enumerate  the  inducements  that  draw  me  towards 
the  law.  First  and  principally,  it  is  my  father's  wish.  He 
does  not  dictate,  it  is  true,  but  how  much  short  of  dictation  is 
the  mere  wish  of  a  parent,  whose  labors  of  life  are  wasted  on 
favors  to  his  children  ?  Even  the  delicacy  with  which  this  wish 
is  expressed,  gives  it  more  effect  than  it  would  have  in  the  form 
of  a  command.  Secondly,  my  friends  generally  wish  it.  They 
are  urgent  and  pressing.  My  father  even  offers  me — I  will 
some  time  tell  you  what — and  Mr.  Thompson  offers  my  tuition 
gratis,  and  to  relinquish  his  stand  to  me. 

On  the  whole,  I  imagine  I  shall  make  one  more  trial  in  the 
ensuing  autumn.  If  I  prosecute  the  profession,  I  pray  God  to 
fortify  me  against  its  temptations.  To  the  winds  I  dismiss 
those  light  hopes  of  eminence  which  ambition  inspired  and 
vanity  fostered.  To  be  "  honest,  to  be  capable,  to  be  faithful " 
to  my  client  and  my  conscience,  I  earnestly  hope  will  be  my 
first  endeavor.  I  believe  you,  my  worthy  boy,  when  you  tell  me 
what  are  your  intentions.  I  have  long  known  and  long  loved 
the  honesty  of  your  heart.  But  let  us  not  rely  too  much  on 
ourselves ;  let  us  look  to  some  less  fallible  guide,  to  direct  us 
among  the  temptations  that  surround  us. 

Good-night ;  to-morrow  I  will  finish  this.  How  pleasant 
would  be  this  eve,  if  I  could  chat  it  away  with  J.  H.  B. 

Wednesday  Morning.  In  politics,  my  friend,  we  coincide  in 
sentiment.  With  you  I  believe  that  the  present  administration 
cannot  long  be  popular.  Our  Constitution  has  left,  it  is  true,  a 
wide  field  for  the  exertions  of  democratic  intrigue,  while  it  has 
strongly  fortified  against  executive  encroachments ;  this  is  the 
general  nature  and  construction  of  governments  perfectly  free. 
They  are  much  better  secured  against  tyranny  than  against 
licentiousness.  Yet  it  has  been  said  with  as  much  truth  as 
eloquence,  that  "  the  thunderbolt  of  despotism  is  not  more  fatal 


112  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

to  public  liberty,  than  the  earthquake  of  popular  commotion." 
It  would  be  a  phenomenon  in  history,  it  would  be  like  a  comet 
which  appears  but  once  in  a  hundred  centuries,  if  there  should 
be  found  a  government  advancing  to  despotism  by  regular  and 
progressive  encroachment.  The  path  to  despotism  leads  through 
the  mire  and  dirt  of  uncontrolled  democracy.  When  this  govern 
ment  falls,  it  will  owe  its  destruction  to  some  administration 
that  sets  out  in  its  career  with  much  adulation  to  the  sovereign 
people,  much  profession  of  economy  and  reform,  and  it  will 
then  proceed  to  prostrate  the  fairest  institutions  of  government 
by  the  pretext  of  saving  expense,  but  really  for  the  sake  of  de 
stroying  constitutional  checks. 

The  late  Congress  have  done  wonders;  they,  however,  have 
greater  wonders  to  perform,  if  they  can  convince  the  people  of 
America  universally  that  they  have  done  right.  The  business 
of  destruction  has  progressed  charmingly,  and  its  effects  have 
been  felt.  Bayard,  Morris,  and  Tracy  have  produced  a  change 
in  the  public  sentiment  which  will  continue.  '  The  nation,  I 
hope  in  Heaven,  will  awake  to  some  view  of  her  situation.  Bos 
ton  and  New  York  have  determined  to  return  to  their  first  love ; 
the  commercial  interest  will  follow  them,  and  we  shall  have  an 
"  opening  to  better  times."  This  Commonwealth,  you  see,  con 
tinues  strong  in  the  service  and  in  the  faith.  Federal  characters 
have  bestirred  themselves ;  if  I  may  be  allowed  a  play  upon 
words,  they  have  turned  out  strong,  to  keep  in  Strong.1 

Every  advice  I  have  from  you  gives  me  pleasure ;  pleasure  it 
is  indeed  to  hear  that  you  are  rapidly  progressing  in  knowledge 
and  reputation,  almost  the  only  things  worth  living  for.  I  learnt 
at  Hanover  that  your  situation  was  very  pleasant  at  Charles- 
town  ;  that  your  virtues  had  secured  you  friends  and  admirers, 
and  that  your  industry  was  proverbial.  I  find  you  are  leaving 
the  friends  of  your  youth  in  the  background;  but  remember, 
Jemmy,  we  will  not  suffer  you  to  run  away  with  all  the  reputa 
tion  without  a  contest. 

I  shall  occasionally  address  you  a  volume  through  the  sum 
mer,  and  am  happy  in  the  opportunity  which  this  affords  me  of 
expressing  my  eternal  attachment,  to  my  dearest  J.  H.  B. 

DAN'L  WEBSTER,  Ped. 

1  An  allusion  to  Caleb  Strong,  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  to  which  Maine  at 
that  time  belonged.  He  was  the  candidate  of  the  Federal  party. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  113 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PORTER. 

Fryeburg,  June  4,  1802. 

HEALTH  to  my  friends !  began  my  earliest  song, 
Health  to  my  friends !  my  latest  shall  prolong, 
Nor  health  alone — be  four  more  blessings  thine, 
Cash  and  the  Fair  one,  Friendship  and  the  Nine. 
Are  these  too  little  ?    Dost  thou  pant  for  fame  ? 
Give  him  ye  Powers  the  bubble  of  a  name ! 
Ask  all  of  Heaven  an  honest  man  should  dare, 
And  Heaven  will  grant  it,  if  it  hear  my  prayer. 
'Tis  true,  let  Locke  deny  it  to  the  last, 
Man  has  three  beings,  Present,  Future,  Past, 
We  are,  we  were,  we  shall  be ;  this  contains 
The  field  of  all  our  pleasures  and  our  pains. 
Enjoyment  makes  the  present  hour  its  own, 
And  Hope  looks  forward  into  worlds  unknown ; 
While  backward  turn'd,  our  thoughts  incessant  stray 
And  mid  the  fairy  forms  of  memory  play. 
Say,  does  the  present  ill  afflict  thee  more, 
Than  that  impending  o'er  a  future  hour  ? 
Or  does  this  moment's  blessing  more  delight, 
Than  hope's  gay  vision  fluttering  in  thy  sight  ? 
Call  now  the  events  of  former  years  to  view, 
And  live  in  fancy  all  thy  life  anew. 
Do  not  the  things  that  many  years  ago, 
Gave  woe  or  joy,  now  give  thee  joy  or  woe  ? 
In  this  review,  as  former  times  pass  by, 
Dost  thou  not  laugh  again,  or  weep  or  sigh  ? 
Dost  thou  not  change,  as  changing  scenes  advance, 
Mourn  with  a  friend,  or  frolic  at  the  dance  ? 
Think  when  thy  worth  attracted  SIMONDS  first, 
And  with  new  sorrow  give  him  to  the  dust  ? 
With  present  time  thus  Hope  and  Memory  join, 
This  to  bear  back,  and  that  to  extend  the  line, 
And  all  must  own,  except  some  learned  dunce, 
That  every  man  lives  three  times  and  at  once. 
I'll  state  a  case ;   but  Vanity,  the  elf, 
Obliges  me  to  state  it  of  myself. 
10* 


114  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

In  latitude  some  more  than  forty-three, 

And  longitude,  say  seventy -first  degree, 

Where  Saco  rolls,  (a  name  so  rough  and  fierce 

It  frights  the  Muse  to  bring  it  into  verse,) 

Tied  to  my  school,  like  cuckold  to  his  wife, 

Whom  God  knows  he'd  be  rid  of,  runs  my  life. 

Six  hours  to  yonder  little  dome  a  day, 

The  rest  to  books,  to  friendship,  and  my  tea ; 

And  now  and  then,  as  varying  fancies  choose, 

To  trifle  with  young  Mary,  or  the  Muse. 

This  life,  tho'  pleasant  of  its  kind,  is  yet 

Much  too  inactive,  I'm  resolved  to  quit. 

Now  Spring  comes  on,  her  milder  sceptre  wields, 

And  fairly  fights  stern  Winter  from  our  fields. 

Yon  grassy  glade  with  gaudiest  tulip  dressed, 

Where  the  Muse  wanders  "  willing  to  be  pressed," 

Where  "  Doves  "  gay  frolicking  on  ulmar  "  boughs  " 

Force  one  to  instant  rhyme,  of  "  Loves  "  and  "  Vows," 

Would  be  delightful,  were  that  thing  called  mind 

Pleased  with  the  present  and  to  fate  resigned ; 

But  on  the  soul  if  wild  ambition  seize, 

Farewell,  as  Horace  sings,  I  think,  to  peace ! 

Our  college  life,  whate'er  the  proud  may  say, 

To  our  existence  is  the  month  of  May. 

O  then  I  knew  not,  or  I  felt  not,  care  ; 

Thoughts,  free  as  nature,  and  as  light  as  air. 

Yet  even  then,  ingratitude  how  base ! 

We  thought  we  lived  in  quite  a  piteous  case, 

E'en  then  we  deemed  our  fates  were  much  to  blame, 

And  called  Miss  Fortune  many  a  saucy  name, 

Though  life's  gay  stream  ran  dimpling  all  along, 

Smooth  as  the  numbers  of  a  tuneful  song. 

There  we  had  friends  enough,  and  books  a  score, 

Appointments  some  and  disappointments  more ; 

Could  court  the  Muse  and  as  you  know  dispense, 

For  pretty  little  rhymes,  with  all  our  sense. 

Could  sit  down  sociable  as  mother  Bunch, 

And  "  dip  in  sentiment,"  or  "  dip  in  punch  " — 

May  Heaven  forgive  the  man  who  with  all  these 

Cannot  find  cause  enough  to  be  at  ease ! 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  115 

God  gave  me  pride — I  thank  him ;  if  he  choose, 

To  give  me  what  shall  make  that  pride  of  use, 

Chance  and  the  talent,  I'll  adore  his  Will ; 

If  he  deny  them,  I'll  adore  it  still. 

Now  Hope  leans  forward  on  Life's  slender  line, 

Shows  me  a  doctor,  lawyer,  or  divine, 

Ardent  springs  forward  to  the  distant  goal, 

But  indecision  clogs  the  eager  soul. 

Heaven  bless  my  friend,  and  when  he  marks  his  way, 

And  takes  his  bearings  o'er  life's  troubled  sea, 

In  that  important  moment  may  he  find 

Choice  and  his  friends  and  duty  all  combined ! 

And  Heaven  grant  me,  whatever  luck  betide, 

Be  fame  or  fortune  given  or  denied, 

Some  cordial  friend  to  meet  my  warm  desire, 

Honest  as  John  and  good  as  Nehemiah. 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PORTER. 

DEAR  JOHN, — Since  writing  the  within  I  had  the-  pleasure  of 
yours  by  Mr.  Hall.  You  are  truly  very  good  to  remember  an 
old  friend  in  absence,  and  the  date  of  this  will  inform  you  that 
I  was  not  behind  you.  I  rejoice  to  hear  that  F.  is  in  a  way  to 
recover ;  she  seems  to  be  a  peculiar  mark  for  the  arrows  of  afflic 
tion.  'Tis  true,  as  you  say,  that  misfortunes  fall  on  the  most 
worthy,  and  that  they  fall  in  crowds :  "  Woes  cluster,  rare  are 
solitary  woes."  There  is  no  doubt  design  in  ah1  this,  whether 
we  perceive  it  or  not.  The  reason  you  assign  I  think  not  a 
wild  one.  Mr.  Bingham's  death  gave  me  a  momentary  surprise. 
I  would  mingle  with  the  family  on  this  occasion  whatever  their 
feeling  is,  or  should  be. 

Federalism,  it  seems,  revives.  'Tis  a  good  cause,  and  it  must 
prevail.  It  unites  in  its  support  more  than  two  thirds  of  the 
talent,  the  character,  and  the  property  of  the  nation.  This  is  too 
much  for  any  administration  to  contend  with.  I  congratulate 
you  on  choosing  Merrill :  he  certainly  should  have  received  my 
vote  had  I  been  on  the  ground. 

My  best  love  to  Nehemiah,  I  shall  write  next  opportunity ;  read 
the  enclosed  and  deliver.  Adieu.  D.  W. 


116  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Fryeburg,  June  7,  1802. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — I  have  frequently  taken  up  my  pen  to 
write  to  you  since  I  arrived  here,  and  have  as  often  laid  it  down 
again  without  executing  my  purpose.  The  truth  is,  I  was  will 
ing  to  write  you  something  a  little  better  than  my  correspond 
ents  generally  have  the  fortune  to  receive.  But,  after  all,  I  am 
commencing  in  my  old  way,  resolved  not  to  delay  till  chance 
might  inspire  me  with  an  idea  worth  your  reading,  lest  you 
should  suppose  me  backward  in  entering  into  a  correspondence, 
which  I  contemplate  with  pleasure. 

You  must  therefore  console  yourself  with  reflecting  that  cor 
respondence  is  a  kind  of  commerce,  where  the  greatest  gain  per 
cent,  uniformly  attaches  to  the  greatest  capital,  and  that  there  is 
as  much  to  be  learned  in  writing  a  good  letter,  as  in  reading 
one.  Besides,  you  will  remember  that  I  am  in  Pequawket,  a 
most  savage  name,  and  you  will  therefore  suppose  a  most  savage 
country.  Whenever,  therefore,  I  am  dull  and  blundering  you 
must  not  charge  the  fault  upon  me,  but  upon  Pequawket ;  thus 
I  shall  shift  much  responsibility  from  my  own  shoulders.  I 
will,  if  you  please,  devote  this  to  giving  you  some  little  account 
of  my  situation,  business,  amusements,  and  so  forth ;  and  beg 
of  you  a  description  of  yours.  Whatever  relates  to  my  school 
you  can  guess  in  the  general,  and  particulars  cannot  be  interest 
ing.  This  village  is  new  but  growing,  already  much  crowded 
with  merchants,  doctors,  and  lawyers.  There  are  here  a  good 
number  of  men  of  information  and  conversable  manners,  whom 
I  visit  without  ceremony,  and  chat  with  as  I  should  with  you 
and  Bingham.  Among  these  are  Mr.  Dana,  whom  you  know, 
and  Mr.  McGaw,  who  boards  and  lodges  with  me. 

Fame  has  told  me,  though  she  is  said  to  be  a  notorious  liar, 
that  you  are  a  finished  gallant ;  it  will  be  natural  therefore  for 
you  to  inquire  about  the  number  and  beauty  of  our  Misses. 

In  point  of  beauty,  I  do  not  feel  competent  to  decide.  I  can 
not  calculate  the  precise  value  of  a  dimple,  nor  estimate  the 
charms  of  an  eyebrow,  yet  I  see  nothing  repulsive  in  the  appear 
ance  of  Maine  Misses.  When  Mr.  McGaw  told  me  he  would 
introduce  me  to  the  Pequawket  constellation,  it  sounded  so 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  117 

oddly,  that  I  could  not  tell  whether  he  was  going  to  show  me 
Virgo,  or  Ursa  major.  Yet  I  had  charity  to  put  it  down  for  the 
former,  and  have  found  no  reason  to  alter  my  decision.  Being 
a  pedagogue  and  having  many  of  the  ladies  in  school,  I  cannot 
set  out  in  a  bold  progress  of  gallantry,  though  I  now  and  then 
make  one  of  them  my  best  bows  and  say  a  few  things  piano,  as 
the  musicians  have  it. 

When  I  go  into  the  study  of  a  friend,  I  look  about  and  inquire 
for  the  books  he  is  reading ;  to  save  you  that  trouble,  I  will  tell 
you  my  reading  at  present.  I  think  it  may  be  advantageous 
to  communicate  mutually  an  account  of  our  studies,  and  recip 
rocate  any  new  ideas  that  are  worth  it.  I  am  now  upon  Wil- 
liams's  Vermont,  which  I  never  read  before.  'Tis  my  object  to 
investigate  some  facts  relating  to  the  political  history  of  the 
United  States. 

I  have  been  perusing,  as  an  amusement,  the  "  Pursuits  of 
Literature,"  the  book  which  has  excited  so  much  curiosity 
among  the  learned^  and  called  down  so  much  condemnation  of 
democracy.  I  am  not  certain  you  ever  read  it,  because  I  do  not 
recollect  having  seen  it  at  Hanover.  I  think  it  well  worth  a 
reading.  The  scantiness  of  the  Poem  itself,  and  the  abundance 
of  Notes,  bring  to  my  memory  Sheridan's  elegant  metaphor  of 
"  a  neat  rivulet  of  text  meandering  thro'  a  meadow  of  margin.". . . 

Report  has  just  reached  me  that  the  marshal  of  N.  H.  is 
removed.  I  confess  I  did  not  much  expect  it,  but  these  are  Jef 
ferson's  doings,  and  they  are  marvellous  in  our  eyes. 

Adieu,  my  good  friend.  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  congratulate  the  people  of  Hanover  on  the  election 
of  their  anniversary  orator ;  and  wish  him  better  success  than 
some  of  his  predecessors. 

Wednesday  Morning;  June  9.  Since  I  wrote  the  within,  which 
I  had  intended  for  the  mail,  Messrs.  Hall  and  Whitmore  have 
called  on  me.  I  am  quite  sure  you  did  not  know  of  the  oppor 
tunity  of  sending  me  by  them.  They  tell  me  that  Politics  stand 
120  to  14 ;  good,  good.  The  sun  is  everywhere  rising.  The 
waning  orb  of  democracy  must  soon  be  eclipsed.  The  penum 
bra  begins  to  come  on  already. 

Pray  put  a  line  in  next  mail,  for  one  who  is  much  your  friend. 

D.  W. 


118  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

Fiyeburg,  June  11,  1802. 

MY  DEAR  BOY, — I  hope  you  will  not  be  vexed  at  me,  when  I 
tell  you  that  I  was  a  little  vexed  at  you  for  not  transmitting  a 
word  by  Mr.  Hall.  I  could  not  invent  for  you  the  least  excuse, 
and  was  resolved  to  be  silent  in  my  turn.  Last  night,  however, 
after  tea,  I  lighted  my  cigar  and  took  a  turn  among  the  mead 
ows.  Nature  was  all  smiling,  and  by  a  kind  of  sympathy  she 
drew  me  in  to  laugh  with  her,  and  my  resentments  all  went  off 
in  fume ;  so  this  morning,  about  the  time  when  you  are  hearing 
the  prayer-bell  with  great  composure,  I  am  devoting  a  moment 
to  my  own,  and  I  hope,  to  a  friend's  amusement.  Were  I  a 
devotee  to  Cupid,  I  should  improve  this  morning  in  penning 
something  which  I  have  heard  called  a  love-letter.  A  romantic 
imagination  might  find,  as  I  think,  ample  scope  among  mead 
ows  and  dales,  and  "  moss-crowned  banks,"  and  "  purling  rills," 
and  "  songsters  of  the  grove,"  and  "  morning  breezes,"  and  other 
apparatus  of  love-poetry.  How  unfortunate,  that  I  neither  am, 
nor  can  feign  myself  to  be,  in  love  with  some  Dulcinea  of  such 
beauty  as  "  paragon's  description,"  such  charms  as  force  mankind 
to  "  worship  where  they  dare  not  love,"  of  such  dignity  and  com 
mand  in  her  aspect,  and  such  unaffected  modesty  and  reserve, 
that  even  "  her  shadow  dare  not  follow  her,  when  she  goes  to 
dress !  "  All  these  pretty  sayings,  picked  up  at  the  expense  of 
so  much  time,  must  all  be  useless  for  lack  of  some  one  to  ad 
dress  them  to.  Alas !  Alas ! 

********** 

Did  you  reveal  any  thing  I  told  you  of  *  *  *  *  ?  If  so,  I  am 
almost  sorry,  but  forgive  you. 

Pray  put  a  line  in  next  mail  for  your  old,  your  cordial  friend, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     Distribute  my  love  to  whomever  will  receive  it 


DANIEL    WEBSTER.  H9 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Fryeburg,  July  22,  1802. 

LOVELY  BOY, — When  one  has  nothing  to  say  you  would 
think  he  might  as  well  be  silent.  But  you  know  there  are  folks 
whose  words  are  in  inverse  proportion  to  the  ideas  they  convey. 
If  I  could  write  you  one  concise,  elegant  letter,  which  met  my 
ideas  of  perfection,  I  would  be  mute  for  a  season  with  great 
willingness  ;  but  I  find  myself  obliged  to  send  one  written  mes 
senger  to  apologize  for  a  former,  and  in  this  way  am  never  like 
to  be  out  of  business.  Some  ten  weeks  ago,  as  I  should  think, 
I  did  myself  the  honor  to  address  to  you  a  huge  folio,  the 
longest  I  ever  wrote,  which  is  saying  a  good  deal;  and  the 
dullest  too,  I  fear,  which  is  saying  much  more.  I  am  suspicious 
you  did  not  receive  it,  as  it  went  by  private  hand,  and  as  you 
never  have  answered  it;  to  have  answered  it  methodically, 
would  be  like  a  comment  on  the  Law  of  Nations,  yet  you 
would  certainly  have  notified  me  of  the  receipt  of  it.  Your  last 
letter,  which  I  have  received,  was  dated  early  in  April.  One, 
two,  three,  almost  four  months  since !  a  vast  while  truly.  Yet 
it  proves  that  you  are  agreeably  employed ;  for  if  you  are  at  all 
like  me,  when  "  grief  sits  heavy  at  the  heart,"  friends  will  occupy 
the  next  place. 

Friday,  23.  Since  writing  the  above  that  "  urbanic  and  ex 
tended  figure,"  A.  Alden  has  called,  and  spent  a  day  with  us. 
He  possesses,  I  find,  a  "  mind  not  to  be  changed  by  time  nor 
place,"  and  bating  some  extravagant  eccentricities,  would  be  an 
amusing  fellow.  He  tells  me  that  Mrs.  Bingham  is  about 
removing  to  Oxford,  since  the  death  of  her  husbandman.  I 
lately  received  a  letter  with  this  indifferent  and  insensible  post 
script,  "  Mr.  Bingham  is  dead."  It  instantly  struck  me  that  .  .  . 
and  I  was  chilled  to  petrifaction  ;  God  be  praised,  I  could  other 
wise  account  for  the  postscript ! 

Augustus  informs  me,  that  the  5th  of  July  was  kept  with 
rejoicing,  and  that  friend  Merrill  delivered  an  oration  well  cal 
culated  to  "  magnify  the  federal  cause  and  make  it  honorable." 
I  have  engaged  him,  "  the  said  Merrill,"  in  a  correspondence,  for 
I  think  him  a  worthy  fellow,  and  almost  the  only  S.  F.,  who 
possesses  any  liberality  of  mind ;  though  those  pious  folks  would 


120  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

be  very  angry  at  me  for  saying  so.  By  the  way,  Daniel  Abbott 
writes  me  that  he  has  been  at  Charlestown ;  that  he  saw  and 
instantly  knew  you;  that  he  shall  no  longer  distrust  physiog 
nomy,  and  that  you  parted  under  agreement  of  correspondence. 
I  rejoice  if  my  name  has  been  the  means  of  introducing  two  of 
the  best  men  in  the  world  to  each  other.  I  would  indeed  give 
my  pipe  and  its  contents  to  see  you  together  this  lovely  morning, 
before  school,  and  that  is  more  than  I  would  do  to  see  half  the 
people  in  the  world  together.  The  hours  devoted  to  the  effu 
sions  of  the  heart  are  to  me  the  most  dear.  In  participation  of 
sentiment  and  feeling,  emotions  of  a  tender  and  pleasing  kind 
are  excited ;  and  the  rhetoric  of  the  eye  and  the  hand  puts  me 
in  rhapsodies  sooner  than  that  of  Cicero  or  Chatham.  "  One 
may  as  well  not  be,  as  be  "  and  be  alone  in  the  midst  of  society, 
devoted  to  himself,  and  excluded  by  suspicious  jealousies  from 
the  bosom  of  others. 

With  much  pleasure  I  observe  the  name  of  your  worthy  father 
on  the  list  of  Federal  representatives  this  year.  The  Jacobins 
in  the  middle  of  the  State  had  calculated  with  confidence,  as  I 
found  when  I  was  there,  upon  having  a  legislature  after  their 
own  image.  They  were  drunk  with  joy  at  the  prospect ;  but 
the  gentlemen  may  now  "  put  a  little  water  to  their  wine." 

As  to  our  friends,  I  can  tell  you  but  little.  I  correspond  with 
few,  and  others  I  know  nothing  of.  Brackett  writes  me  that  he 
is  well  situated  at  Rhinebeck,  on  Hudson  River.  He  humorously 
informs  me  how  he  has  been  caught  in  the  lure  of  an  Albany 
heiress,  like  a  pheasant  in  a  snare.  We  ought,  I  think,  to  wish 
him,  rather  than  her,  a  safe  delivery.  Clark  informs  me  that  he 
is  still  at  Flushing,  easy  and  contented,  "  living  on  the  fat  of 
the  land."  From  Hanover  I  hear  as  often  as  the  old  gentleman 
Zek.  sees  fit  to  write  to  me,  and  now  and  then,  though  very  sel 
dom,  I  have  a  line  from  somebody  else.  And  now,  having 
modestly  enough  spent  the  bulk  of  three  pages  in  talking  about 
myself,  I  will  reserve  this  space  for  a  postscript,  to  acknowledge 
as  I  hope  the  receipt  of  one  from  you  by  the  mail  which  is 
expected  soon. 

Good-bye,  give  your  father  the  best  respects  of 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  Well,  the  mail  comes,  but  no  wished-for  letter.  Yet 
Hervey  will  think  of  me  soon  and  let  me  know  it. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  121 

I  have  seen  a  letter  from  Portsmouth,  which  informs  me  that 
J.  Wentworth,  the  democratic  lawyer  and  ode-maker,  has  had  a 
most  severe  flagellation  from  Jere.  Mason,  Esq.,  for  personal 
abuse,  and  another  from  the  editor  of  The  Oracle. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

I  CANNOT  read ;  to  think  is  as  bad ;  I  will  therefore  write, 
though  it  be 

Sunday,  August  29,  1802. 

DEAR  CHEVALIER, — A  handkerchief  hoops  my  head,  the  bed 
supports  my  legs,  and  the  table  my  arms.  In  this  attitude  of 
contemplation,  perhaps  you  will  rather  think  it  an  attitude  of 
sleep,  I  have  consumed  three  full  minutes  in  thinking  of  some 
decent  excuse  for  so  long  neglecting  to  write  you.  I  despise  to 
say,  like  a  lazy  collegian,  "  Unwell,  Sir,"  nor  can  I  say  in  truth, 
"  Didn't  hear  the  bell,"  since  your  last  letters  gave  me  quite  an 
audible  call.  On  the  whole,  I  perceive  none  in  which  I  shall 
get  off  with  honor,  unless  I  undertake  an  encomium  on  tacitur 
nity,  and  say,  that  although  men  arrogantly  boast  of  the  privilege 
of  speech,  it  is  indeed  a  much  greater  privilege  to  be  silent. 
But  I  think  I  will  not  retail  the  pretty  sayings  I  have  on  this 
subject ;  they  are  better  reserved  "  to  decorate  the  morality  of  a 
Newspaper  Essay."  Your  letter  shall  be  drawn  from  my  files, 
and  answered  methodically.  Imprimis — you  referred  me  to  Al- 
den  for  domestic  news.  I  turned  to  that  authority,  and  found  a 
few  pages  fertile  of  the  subject;  among  the  rest  that  St.  John 
paid  you  an  agreeable  visit,  that  you  had  a  pleasant  dance,  &c. 
Now  dancing  is  a  good,  and,  as  I  suppose,  an  innocent  amuse 
ment,  but  we  never  need  go  to  halls  and  assembly  rooms  to 
enjoy  it.  The  world  is  nothing  but  a  contra-dance,  and  every 
one,  volens,  nolens,  has  a  part  in  it.  Some  are  sinking,  others 
rising,  others  balancing,  some  gradually  ascending  towards  the 
top,  others  flamingly  leading  down.  Some  cast  off  from  Fame 
and  Fortune,  and  some  again  in  a  comfortable  allemande  with 
both.  If  you  should  ask  me  what  station  I  allot  myself  in  this 
dance  of  life,  I  should  be  staggered  to  tell  you,  though  I  believe, 
by  some  confounded  ill-luck,  I  have  slipped  a  foot,  and  am 

VOL.    I.  11 


122  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

fairly  on  the  knee  here  in  Pequawket.  In  your  last  letter  but 
one,  you  insinuate  that  you  can  hardly  write,  because  a  certain 
Miss,  had  just  passed  your  office.  I  know  not  who  the  said  Miss, 
was,  but  will  bet  my  tobacco-box  that  I  can  guess  within  three. 
It  was  either  Mis-Fortune,  or  Mis-Information,  or  Mis- Conduct, 
and  which  of  the  three  you  must  inform  me.  I  fear  you  will 
be  so  uncharitable  as  to  say  the  latter. 

I  was  in  Concord  nearly  a  fortnight.  A  man  is  known  by 
the  company  he  keeps.  I  shall  almost  suspect  the  purity  of 
your  principles.  "  I  hope,"  say  you  of  the  D.'s  daughter,  "  that 
she  has  no  affectation."  I  hope  so  too,  but  then  we  may  some 
times  hope  what  we  do  not  believe.  You  add,  "  I  believe  her  a 
good  girl."  If  I  were  really  her  admirer,  such  a  cold  sentence 
should  cost  you  a  duel ;  there  is  no  '  excellent,'  '  transcendant,' 

*  transparent '  in  it. 

********** 

Good-bye.     I  cannot  say  when  I  shall  see  you. 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  You  will  naturally  inquire  how  I  prosper  in  the  article 
of  cash ;  finely !  finely !  I  came  here  in  January  with  a  horse, 
and  watch,  &c.,  and  a  few  "  rascally  counters "  in  my  pocket. 
"Was  soon  obliged  to  sell  my  horse  and  live  on  the  proceeds. 
Still  straitened  for  cash  I  sold  my  watch,  and  made  a  shift  to 
get  home,  where  my  friends  supplied  me  with  another  horse  and 
another  watch.  My  horse  is  sold  again,  and  my  watch  goes  I 
expect  this  week ;  thus  you  see  how  I  lay  up  cash.  If  Cook  or 
somebody  else  does  not  soon  come  to  relieve  me,  I  shall  be  so 
rich  that  I  shall  be  worth  just  nothing  at  all. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Salisbury,  November  4,  1802. 

Now,  Zeke,  you  will  not  read  half  a  sentence,  no,  not  one  syl 
lable,  before  you  have  thoroughly  searched  this  sheet  for  scrip; 
but,  my  word  for  it,  you  will  find  no  scrip  here.  We  held  a 
sanhedrim  this  morning  on  the  subject  of  cash,  could  not  hit 
upon  any  way  to  get  you  any ;  just  before  we  went  away  to 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  123 

hang  ourselves  through  disappointment,  it  came  into  our  heads 
that  next  week  might  do.  The  truth  is,  father  had  an  execution 
against  Hubbard,  of  N.  Chester,  for  about  one  hundred  dollars ; 
the  money  was  collecting  and  just  ready  to  drop  into  the  hands 
of  the  creditors,  when  Hubbard  suddenly  died.  This,  you  see, 
stays  the  execution  till  the  long  process  of  administering  is 
completed. 

I  have  now  by  me  two  cents  in  lawful  federal  currency;  next 
week  I  will  send  them,  if  they  be  all ;  they  will  buy  -a  pipe ; 
with  a  pipe  you  can  smoke ;  smoking  inspires  wisdom ;  wisdom 
is  allied  to  fortitude ;  from  fortitude  it  is  but  one  step  to  stoi 
cism  ;  and  stoicism  never  pants  for  this  world's  goods ;  so  per 
haps  my  two  cents,  by  this  process,  may  put  you  quite  at  ease 
about  cash.  Write  me  this  minute,  if  you  can ;  tell  me  aU  your 
necessities ;  no,  not  all,  a  part  only,  and  any  thing  else  you  can 
think  of  to  amuse  me. 

You  may  tell  Nelson  that  I  forwarded  his  letters  to  Gilman- 
ton,  next  day  after  my  return,  and  attended  to  his  other 
business. 

The  Hon.  Mr.  Marston  has  a  young  son,  which,  in  token  of 
past  acquaintance,  his  wife  thinks  of  naming  for  you. 

We  are  all  here  just  in  the  old  way,  always  behind  and  lack 
ing  ;  boys  digging  potatoes  with  frozen  fingers,  and  girls  wash 
ing  without  wood.  I  shall  not  stir  from  the  office  again  this 
winter,  that  I  know  of;  nor  then,  unless  I  go  for  you.  Pray 
attend  to  the  little  request  about  paragraphs,  &c. 

I  shall  depend  on  you.     Soon  you  will  know  if or  not. 

Good-bye ;  be  a  good  child,  "  mind  your  books  and  strive  to 
learn." 

D.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Saturday,  November  6,  1802. 

A  WRITER  of  no  inconsiderable  note,  and  one  whom  you  hold 
very  high  esteem,  has  remarked  in  some  of  his  lucubrations, 

lat  a  student's  reading  and  conversation  ought  to  be  intimately 

mnected  with  the  subject  of  his  studies. 
Impressed  with  the  justness  and  propriety  of  this  remark,  I 


124  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

shall  give  you  a  few  of  my  thoughts  on  Horace.  Should  they 
discover  more  pedantry  than  learning,  more  ostentation  than 
judgment,  I  must  beg  you  to  pardon  weaknesses  which  you 
never  felt.  I  shall  not  assume  the  lofty  eminence  of  a  critic  and 
bid  Horace  pass  in  review  before  me ;  but  shall  only  exercise  the 
privilege,  which  every  person  in  the  pit  may  rightly  claim,  of 
judging  the  performance  of  the  actors.  It  may  be  called  un 
generous  to  judge  Horace  by  our  own  ideas  of  excellence ;  but 
remember  it  is  not  Horace  I  judge,  but  his  works.  If  he  had 
vices,  let  them  be  buried  in  silence  ;  I  will  never  call  them  up. 
In  my  opinion,  his  writings  ought  to  be  as  severely  criticized,  as 
though  they  were  written  but  yesterday.  No  lapse  of  time  will 
justify  the  licentiousness  of  his  Muse.  But  it  must  be  acknowl 
edged,  that  in  his  works  beauties  lie  scattered  with  defects,  on 
every  page,  and  mingle  in  every  line.  We  admire  his  senten 
tious  brevity,  the  effusions  of  his  fancy,  and  the  keenness  of  his 
wit.  We  are  often  disgusted  at  his  praises  of  Bacchus,  of 
Venus,  or  himself. 

I  have  given  you  the  above  morceau  of  criticism  on  purpose 
that  it  might  excite  your  risibility ;  for  I  believe  you  have  not 
frequent  occasions  to  laugh,  while  you  are  reading  Blackstone, 
or  employed  in  the  good  work  of  filling  blanks  .  .  . 

These  cold  frosty  mornings  very  sensibly  inform  me,  that  I 
want  a  warm  great-coat.  I  wish,  Daniel,  it  might  be  convenient 
to  send  me  on  cloth  for  one,  otherwise  I  shall  be  necessitated  to 
purchase  one  here.  I  do  not  care  what  color  or  what  kind  of 
cloth  it  is ;  any  thing  that  will  keep  the  frost  out.  Some  kind 
of  a  shaggy  cloth,  I  think  would  be  cheapest.  Deacon  Petten- 
gill  has  written  offering  me  fourteen  dollars  a  month.  I  believe 
I  shall  take  it. 

Money,  Daniel,  money.  As  I  was  walking  down  to  the  office 
after  a  letter,  I  happened  to  find  one  cent,  which  is  the  only 
money  I  have  had  since  the  second  day  after  I  came  on.  It  is 
a  fact,  Dan,  that  I  was  called  on  for  a  dollar,  where  I  owed  it, 
and  borrowed  it,  and  have  borrowed  it  four  times  since,  to  pay 
those  I  borrowed  of. 

Yours  without  money, 

E.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     Remember  me  to  father,  and  mother,  and  all. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  125 

MR.    DAVIS    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Hanover,  N.  H.,  November  26,  1802. 

HOLD  !  Hold !  Friend  Webster.  Don't  buffet  me.  Don't  be  too 
hasty ;  stay  a  moment.  I  tremble  to  ask  you  a  civil  question. 
Your  seemingly  awful  denunciation  awaits  me.  But  I  can  en 
dure  a  little  chastisement.  I'll  e'en  venture  to  out  with  my  inquiry. 

Will  you — don't  be  out  of  humor,  brother  Daniel,  for  I  am 
blazing  with  rage  myself  at  the  imposition  of  last  year's  Brum — I 
say,  brother  Webster,  will  you  write  the  Newsboy's  Message  for 
January,  1803  ?  Say  yes.  I  can  take  no  denial.  You  are  acquaint 
ed  with  foreign  political  and  local  affairs,  of  which  you  have  a 
correct  view  at  a  single  glance.  You  need  not  ponder  much  on 
past  occurrences.  The  transactions  of  the  year,  the  month,  and 
the  day,  it  may  be  well  to  note.  The  President's  message  will 
come  forth  before  a  succeeding  message  is  offered  to  our  patrons. 

Perhaps  by  this  time  you  are  a  little  twistined :  "  Stand  off, 
Davis,  for  my  whole  artillery  of  execrations  shall  be  levelled 
upon  you  for  this  unreasonable  attack,"  says  a  ruffled  mind. 
"  I  would  have  thee  begone.  Seek  in  the  inner  temple  of  Dart 
mouth."  How  am  I  treated !  I  have  sought  but  can  find  none 
to  my  liking.  I  want  no  fungus  Federal  address,  like  unto 
last  year's.  I  want  a  genuinely  Federal  Address,  and  you  are 
the  very  person  to  write  it.  And  this  solicitation,  Sir,  is  not 
from  me  alone ;  some  of  our  most  respectable  characters  join  in 
this  request.  Please  to  give  me  a  definitive  answer  imme 
diately.  I  shall  want  the  address  or  message  the  Saturday 
prior  to  the  first  day  of  January,  1803.  I  have  lately  received  a 
letter  from  brother  Brackett,  which  informs  me  that  friend  Clark 
was  dangerously  sick.  You  will  perceive  that  W.  has  taken  a 
companion  in  his  literary  peregrinations.  It  is  conjectured  that 
Icarus  has  flocked  with  the  wild  geese  and  gone  South  for  a 
warmer  climate.  It  is  however  expected  he  will  return  early  in 
the  spring.  For  news  I  refer  you  to  Junior  Ezekiel.  Esquire 
Everett  is  candidate  for  councillor  in  this  county ;  Mr.  Gilbert 
declines — sorry.  M.  DAVIS. 

NOTE.     The  poetic  address  for  the  Dartmouth  Gazette,  January  1,  1803,  was 
written  by  Mr.  Webster,  in  compliance  with  the  request  contained  in  the  above 
letter,  and  under  the  signature  of  '  Icarus '  Mr.  Webster  wrote  various  poetical 
and  prose  articles  for  the  same  paper. 
11* 


126  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

Salisbury,  December  21,  1802. 

GOOD  FULLER, — If  your  clemency  was  exhaustible,  I  should 
expect  the  bitterness  of  censure.  I  deserve  it,  I  own,  and  will 
explain  to  you  how.  Your  kind  letter  was  received  in  its  proper 
time,  and  my  eye  run  over  its  contents  with  pleasure.  Imme 
diately  I  prepared  an  answer,  but  by  unaccountable  negligence 
and  forgetfulness,  it  was  never  put  into  the  mail,  and  yesterday, 
in  tumbling  over  some  old  paper,  I  found  said  letter  snug  as 
could  be  in  the  desk !  Pretty  soon  after  my  arrival  from  the 
Eastward  I  went  to  Hanover,  sanguine  in  the  expectation  of 
seeing  you,  among  others  of  my  friends.  I  had  heard  some 
talks  of  your  intended  departure,  but  I  considered  them  as  vox 
et  preterea  nihil.  Alas !  I  found  it  true,  you  were  really,  to  my 
great  astonishment,  gone !  I  hope  and  find  by  your  letter,  that 
you  have  mended  your  situation  by  the  change.  Hanover  with 
out  you,  was  to  me  insipid.  Yet  I  was  there  again  about  a 
month  ago,  and  a  ray  of  pleasantness  shot  across  it,  for  Bing- 
ham  was  with  me.  We  galloped  over  the  plain  one  day.  I  was 
so  busy  all  day  doing  nothing,  that  I  did  not  find  time  even  to 
eat  my  dinner,  much  less  to  chat  with  gypsies ;  for  to  tell  you 
the  truth  now,  I  am  hungry  twice  where  I  am  lovesick  once. 
Mary  W.  I  saw  an  instant,  but  had  not  the  happiness  to  see 
Excellence  itself  embodied  in  the  shape  of  the  other  Mary. 
Some  malignant  spirit  prevented  me  this  pleasure  by  breathing 
forgetfulness  on  my  nerves.  I  forgot  to  call. 

It  is  not  long  since  I  was  at  Concord ;  we  had  fine  times, 
singing  and  dancing,  and  skipping.  There  were  a  thousand 
inquiries  about  you.  Really,  Weld,  you  must  not  let  the  girls 
break  their  hearts  for  you.  I  asked  Miss  *  *  *  if  she  wished  to 
see  Mr  Fuller  very  much.  She  said  that — that — that — that — , 
the  Lord  knows  what  she  did  say.  I  could  not  tell.  There  was 
a  No,  and  a  Yes,  and  a  blush,  and  a  smile,  and  a  blush,  and  so 
you  may  make  what  you  can  of  them.  Give  my  love  to  Ripley ; 
I  cannot  help  entertaining  a  wayward  affection  for  him  though 
he  be  a  democrat.  He  ought  to  write  me,  and  I  shall  very  soon 
tell  him  so.  Pray  write  me  immediately,  write  me  now,  tell  me 
you  forgive  my  carelessness,  and  then  I  will  cheerfully  write 
you  again.  Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER.  127 

P.  S.  M.  *  *  *  *,  Esq.,  is  to  be  postmaster  immediately.  You 
say  what  a  fine  thing  'tis  to  be  a  Jacobin  ;  I  say  what  a  dread 
ful  thing  it  is  to  be  a  Jack-ass. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  December  21,  1802. 

GOOD  HERVEY, — Lovers,  I  have  heard  it  said,  are  apt  to  write 
with  trembling  hand.  If  that  circumstance  alone  be  sufficient 
to  constitute  one,  I  am  as  valiant  a  lover  as  ever  made  a  vow. 
My  hand  does  indeed  tremble,  and  my  brain  dances  with  twice 
as  much  giddiness  as  ever.  But  what  would  be  imputed  to 
love,  if  you  were  a  lady,  may  now  very  fairly  be  ascribed  to  the 
measles.  This  ugly  disorder  attacked  me  about  a  fortnight 
since,  and  has  formed  a  great  syncope  in  my  health  and  happi 
ness.  I  am  now  convalescent,  as  the  faculty  say,  and  am  to 
day  just  able  to  scrawl  you  this ;  if  it  be  very  dull,  pray  do  not 
blame  me,  but  the  measles ;  if  you  will  agree  to  this,  I  shall  shift 
much  responsibility  from  my  own  shoulders. 

The  information  you  communicated,  I  will  not  call  it  an 
opinion,  was  fully  anticipated.  On  reading  the  statute  carefully, 
I  found  it  expressly  excepted  specialties  from  its  operation ;  and 
I  find  in  Blackstone,  second  volume,  on  the  nature  and  different 
kinds  of  deeds,  that  a  bond  under  seal  and  sign-manual,  is  a 
specialty.  So  in  that  quarter  I  have  "  no  loop  to  hang  my  hopes 
upon."  Here  give  me  leave  to  pronounce  a  wise  opinion,  viz : 
That  the  best  way  to  study  law  is  in  relation  to  particular  points. 
I  had  read  the  statute  of  limitations,  I  do  not  know  how  many 
times,  nor  how  many  times  more  I  might  have  read  it  among 
others,  without  discovering  that  it  did  not  affect  a  sealed  instru 
ment,  unless  I  had  looked  in  reference  to  that  particular  inquiry. 
It  is  very  much  so,  I  believe,  with  history.  We  read  page  after 
page,  and  retaining  a  slender  thread  of  events,  everything  else 
glides  from  the  mind  about  as  fast  as  the  eye  traces  the  lines  of 
the  book.  Yet,  when  we  examine  a  particular  occurrence,  or 
search  after  a  single  date,  the  impression  is  permanent,  and  we 
have  added  one  idea  to  the  stock  of  real  knowledge. 

If  you  are  entertained  with  politics,  I  will  tell  you  for  your 


128  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

amusement,  that  Mr.  Thompson  is  about  to  be  turned  out,  as 
the  phrase  is,  from  the  post-office  at  this  place,  to  give  room  to 
Moses  Eastman,  Esq.  The  latter  gentleman  has  already  re 
ceived  his  appointment. 

Make  my  compliments  acceptable,  pray  do,  to  your  good 
cousins  E.  and  P.  I  remember  with  joy  and  gratitude  the  kind 
ness  and  hospitality  with  which  I  was  treated  in  the  family. 

There  is  not  half  room  enough  left  to  enumerate  all  the  good 
wishes  my  heart  feels  for  you.  It  will  save  me  a  deal  of  trouble 
in  this  way,  if  you  will  only  wish  at  once  for  everything  you 
honestly  can,  and  I  will  cheerfully  "  second  the  motion." 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  This  has  been  delayed  so  long  you  will  answer  it. 
I  mean  you  will  write  another,  for  there  is  nothing  in  this 
requiring  an  answer ;  you  will  write  me  a  line,  I  say,  soon,  yes, 
immediately,  'twill  be  better  than  "  puke  or  pill "  to  cure  me  of 
the  measles. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Salisbury,  January  4,  1803. 

DEAR  MERRILL, — I  think  it  quite  time,  don't  you?  that  I 
write  you  a  letter.  I  thought  so  yesterday  morning,  when  I 
was  within  five  miles  of  you,  am  entirely  persuaded  of  it  to 
night,  when  I  am  not  within  forty.  A  letter — well,  a  letter 
should  be  amusing.  Ah  me !  A  dreadful  task  that  for  my  brain ! 
So  then,  I  must  follow  the  custom,  and  put  down  this  sentence 
"  Alas !  what  shall  I  say,"  when  indeed  I  have  nothing  to  say, 
and  also  this  pathetic  exclamation,  "  I  can  no  more,"  when  I 
really  can  no  more. 

Mistaken  I  am,  Tommy,  if  it  do  not  require  some  taste  as 
well  as  literature  to  form  a  letter,  without  any  particular  subject 
which  shall  gratify  a  correct  scholar.  This  night  I  have  counted 
over  my  own  qualifications  for  this  business  of  letter-writing, 
and  find  them  not  a  little  deficient.  There  are  some  great  em 
barrassments  in  the  way.  Hear  one  now.  The  critics  tell  us 
that  a  letter,  to  be  interesting,  should  be  a  "  transcript  unaffected 
of  the  heart."  So,  then,  one  has  nothing  to  do,  but  to  sit  down 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  129 

and  transcribe  his  heart  to  his  correspondent.  This  copy  will 
be,  it  seems,  a  charming,  entertaining  epistle.  But  lack  a-day, 
me !  what  can  a  poor  scribbler  do,  if  he  happen  not  to  have  his 
heart  about  him  ?  If  now  my  heart  is  rambling  up  and  down 
the  Connecticut,  or,  if  fixed  to  some  spot  there,  how  in  the  world 
can  I  copy  it  ?  But  as  respects  you  and  the  folks  that  way,  it 
is  no  matter  if  you  have  the  original  among  you,  surely  you  can 
well  enough  do  without  the  copy.  Thus  you  see,  I  shall  cleverly 
be  excused  from  writing  you  an  "  entertaining  letter."  On  the 
opposite  page  I  said  something  about  being  within  five  miles 
of  you.  True,  I  kept  Sabbath  at  Lebanon,  with  E.  Porter.  I 
almost  determined  to  go  to  Hanover  and  take  a  peep  at  my 
friends,  but  as  my  tarry  could  not  have  exceeded  a  few  hours,  I 
thought  it  would  be  mere  tantalizing  with  my  feelings.  This 
time  I  did  not  "  a-wooing  go,"  but  you  may  expect  very  soon 
to  see  me  on  a  pilgrimage,  not  however  to  Mecca,  nor  Medina. 

To  the  shrines  of  dead  saints  let  the  pilgrim  repair, 
And  bend  o'er  their  ashes  in  praise  and  in  prayer, 
I  love  living  goodness,  nor  ever  shall  find, 
A  brighter  example  than  glows  in  her  mind, — 

whose  mind  ?  you  will  say ;  ah,  ah,  Mr.  Tommy,  that  is  an 
inquiry  to  puzzle  you,  and  even  I  had  as  lief  take  a  problem  in 
Euclid  to  solve  as  that  question.  The  Lord  knows  whose  mind, 
but  'tis  hers.  That  strain  of  poetry  you  will  confess  to  be  such 
as  might  fall  from  the  lip  of  a  true  inamorato,  and  if  you  will 
only  point  out  somebody  to  be  antecedent  for  that  pronoun 
"  her,"  I  will  give  you  a  pipe  of  tobacco. 

This  law-reading,  Thomas,  has  no  tendency  to  add  the  em 
bellishments  of  literature  to  a  student's  acquisitions.  Our  books 
are  written  in  a  hard,  didactic  style,  interspersed  on  every  page 
with  the  mangled  pieces  of  murdered  Latin,  and  as  perfectly 
barren  of  all  elegance  as  a  girl's  cheek  is  of  beard ;  you  see  I 
can't  keep  entirely  off  the  girl's  cheeks.  The  morality  of  the 
profession  is,  too,  a  matter  of  doubt,  or  rather  it  is  a  matter  of 
no  doubt  at  all.  Mr.  Bennett  says  that  a  lawyer,  who  preserves 
his  integrity  unspotted,  deserves  a  place  in  the  calendar  of 
saints.  If  this  calendar  were  entirely  made  up  of  lawyers,  I 
fancy  it  would  be  a  short,  a  very  short  list,  not  so  long,  if  you 
take  the  whole  world  over,  as  a  catalogue  of  Freshmen,  and  yet 


130  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

this  is  the  profession  to  which  I  am  devoting  myself!      O  blind 
ness  !  stupidity !  infatuation !  nonsense  !  folly !  and 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  will,  on  second  thought,  take  off  the  edge  of  the 
above  invective  against  my  profession  by  reminding  you  that 
there  have  been  a  Papinian  and  a  Hale,  as  eminent  for  piety  as 
for  talents,  and  our  late  Chief  Justice  Ellsworth  demands  a 
mention  in  company  with  these  ornaments  to  their  profession. 

I  regret  that  my  sheet  is  full,  but  you  must  write  me,  and 
then  I  shall  feel  authorized  to  fill  another.  Pray  do  not  delay. 

Mr.  Granger  has  removed  Mr.  Thompson  from  the  post-office 
here  and  appointed  Moses  Eastman,  Esquire.  Now  just  be 
tween  you  and  me,  not  to  let  the  world  hear,  it  is  a  dreadful 
thing  in  these  times  to  be  a  Jack-ass.  They  were  never  in 
greater  demand — Mum  ! 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    COOK. 

Salisbury,  January  14,  1803. 

WELL,  brother  Cook,  is  it  not  time  that  you  and  I  should 
interchange  a  word  by  letter  ?  Indeed,  I  thought  it  quite  time 
some  while  ago,  and  bore  on  my  mind  a  fresh  impression  of  the 
promise  you  made  me  to  write,  but  as  yet  no  letters  have 
arrived.  But  perhaps  it  is  owing  to  miscarriage  in  mail. 
Lackaday !  Since  these  Jacobin  postmasters  have  crept  into 
office,  one  cannot  for  the  soul  of  him,  get  a  letter  that  never  was 
written. 

But  I  will  pardon  you;  your  entire  devotion  to  business 
would  render  you  pardonable,  if  you  should  neglect  to  write 
even  to  your  sweetheart.  Don't  you  suppose  now  that  I  must 
be  a  little  envious  of  the  lustre  of  your  pedagogical  fame  ?  A 
priest's  word  may  surely  be  relied  on,  but  your  philosophy  would 
hate  to  hear  a  compliment. 

It  has  been  twice  in  the  way  of  business  for  me  to  be.  at 
Hanover  since  I  saw  you.  Everybody  I  saw,  and  some  of  the 
ladies  particularly,  inquired  about  Mr.  Cook ;  but  here  again  I 
shall  wound  your  philosophy.  Our  college  friends  were  in  fine 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  131 

mood,  triumphant  over  their  enemies.  Bingham,  that  good 
soul,  whose  spirit  is  harmonious  as  his  music,  galloped  on  to 
the  plain  with  me,  and  we  spent  a  day  among  the  folks.  One 
of  your  female  acquaintances  is  gone,  fairly  gone,  I  understand, 
into  the  land  of  love  and  courtship.  I  do  not  now  tell  you  who 
it  is,  nor  who  is  become  proprietor  in  the  premises,  for  certain 
reasons.  The  authorities  were  in  November  very  much  prob 
ably  as  you  left  them  in  August.  I  could  not  see  any  diminu 
tion  in  the  length  of  noses,  nor  in  the  volubility  of  lip-licking 
tongues.  Professor  Woodward  has  been  entirely  out  of  health, 
as  Zeke  tells  me,  all  the  fall,  and  Doctor  Smith  has  sold  his 
house  with  an  intention  to  fix  his  residence  in  Windsor. 

I  am  not  informed  what  profession  you  are  determined  to  study, 
but  if  it  be  law,  permit  me  to  tell  you  a  little  what  you  must 
expect.  My  experience  in  the  study  is  indeed  short,  but  I  have 
learnt  a  little  about  it.  First  then,  you  must  bid  adieu  to  all 
hopes  of  meeting  with  a  single  author  who  pretends  to  elegance 
of  style  or  sweetness  of  observation.  The  language  of  the  law 
is  dry,  hard,  and  stubborn  as  an  old  maid.  Murdered  Latin 
bleeds  through  every  page,  and  if  Tully  and  Virgil  could  rise 
from  their  graves,  they  would  soon  be  at  fisticuffs  with  Coke, 
Hale,  and  Blackstone,  for  massacring  their  language.  As  to  the 
practice,  I  believe  it  a  settled  matter,  that  the  business  of  an 
office  is  conducted  with  the  very  refuse  and  remnant  of  man 
kind.  However,  I  will  not  too  far  abuse  my  own  profession. 
It  is  sometimes  lucrative,  and  if  one  can  keep  up  an  acquaint 
ance  with  general  literature  in  the  mean  time,  the  law  may  help 
to  invigorate  and  unfold  the  powers  of  the  mind. 

By  this  time  you  are  quite  tired  of  this  conversation.  Well, 
my  friend,  then  go  away  and  relieve  your  worry  by  chatting 
with  the  fair  ones,  after  which,  if  you  please,  sacrifice  a  moment 
to  the  unrewarded  trouble  of  writing  a  line  to 

Your  very  humble  servant, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


132  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  February  22,  1803. 

MY  GOOD  HERVEY, — Yours  of  January  29,  was  received  in  due 
season.  I  thank  you  for  the  expressions  of  friendship  it  con 
tained,  and  for  the  assurance  that  a  part  of  your  time  is  devoted 
to  me.  At  this  period  of  our  acquaintance  I  need  not  tell  you 
what  pleasure  I  receive  from  your  letters,  nor  with  what  exulta 
tion  my  heart  glows  under  the  impression  that  our  early  con 
genial  attachments  will  never  be  sundered.  It  may  look  a  little 
like  vanity,  flattery,  and  puerility,  but  I  think  I  may  say  that 
you  will  continue  to  occupy  the  parlor  of  my  affections,  till 
Madam  comes !  Madam,  you  know,  must  have  the  parlor,  but 
even  then  you  shall  not  be  cast  off  into  the  kitchen.  Depend  on 
it,  if  Madam  treats  you,  or  anybody  else  who  is  an  older  pro 
prietor  than  herself,  with  prankish  airs,  we  will  soon  away  with 
her  into  Lob's  pound. 

You  solicit  my  sentiments  upon  politics.  Really,  I  don't 
•  know  if  I  have  any  political  sentiments.  Kaimes  tells  us  that 
sentiment  is  something  which  savors  of  passion  or  affection. 
Now  I  profess  not  to  have  the  least  affection  for  the  men  in 
power,  for  the  means  by  which  they  obtained  it,  nor  for  the  use 
they  put  it  to,  so  I  can't  say  whether  I  have  any  political  senti 
ments  at  all.  It  is  very  strange,  Bingham,  and  very  true,  that 
men  do  as  often  as  otherwise  choose  the  most  ignorant  of  man 
kind  to  instruct,  and  the  most  wicked  to  govern.  I  feel  a  good 
deal  of  interest,  perhaps  more  than  I  ought,  in  the  termination 
of  the  ensuing  election.  Can  you  help,  can  I  help,  can  anybody 
of  sense  help  despising  mankind,  and  despising  himself  for  be 
longing  to  mankind,  if  in  every  instance  vice  and  folly  laugh 
virtue  and  wisdom  out  of  countenance  ?  With  us  it  is  seriously 
fearful  that  the  Senate  of  our  Legislature  will  be  Jacobinical. 
Districts  No.  1,  2,  4,  5,  and  7,  8,  9,  are  some  of  them  undoubt 
edly  democratic,  and  the  rest  awfully  suspicious.  In  this  dis 
trict  (No.  8,)  we  send  a  man,  and  nobody  can  tell  why  we  send 
him,  unless  it  be  that  he  is  absolutely  the  greatest  dunce  in  the 
district.  From  all  these  evils  may  the  Lord  deliver  us ! 

Permit  me  to  mingle  a  sentiment  of  sorrow  with  yours  for 
the  death  of  your  aunt,  that  worthy  woman  of  whom  I  have 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  133 

often  heard  you  speak,  before  I  had  the  happiness  to  see  her. 
You  will  long  feel  her  loss ;  you  will  feel  an  absence  about  your 
heart,  where  there  has  once  been  the  purest  esteem  and  affection. 
Friends,  like  all  things,  may  leave  us. 

"  Year  following  year  steals  something  every  day, 
At  last  they  steal  us  from  ourselves  away." 

You  mention  not  having  heard  from  Hanover  for  some  time ; 
I  have  heard  from  that  place  every  now  and  then  through  the 
winter.  Once,  since  I  saw  you,  I  was  in  sight  of  the  old  town  ; 
I  looked  that  way  and  past  on.  At  Lebanon  I  met  with  Tim 
othy  Heifer ;  in  two  minutes  I  knew  more  about  the  "  gestion  " 
of  Hanover's  affairs  by  half  than  if  I  had  been  reading  friend 
Davis's  Gazette.  Experience  Porter  spent  some  days  with  me 
lately.  He  has  become  quite  gallant,  and  told  me  all  about  the 
girls,  and  it  all  amounted  to  nothing  at  all. 

Yesterday  I  was  at  Sanbornton,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  hurt 
ing  myself  by  being  tumbled  out  of  the  sleigh  into  the  snow 
with  Mrs.  Lovejoy.  I  told  them  all  I  was  sure  you  would  come 
and  see  them  in  June,  and  they  all  rejoiced.  Pray  do  not  let 
them,  nor  me,  be  disappointed. 

When  I  parted  with  you,  you  mentioned,  I  think,  that  C 

was  at  New  York,  but  was  expected  to  come  to  Lempster  to 
take  a  school.  Is  he  now  there  ?  If  so,  jog  him  by  the  elbow, 
when  you  see  him,  and  tell  him  to  call  to  mind  D.  W. 

Ask  your  cousin  Enos  if  he  recollects  any  thing  about  a  lad 
that  made  you  a  visit,  or  rather  visitation,  last  fall.  If  he  an 
swers  affirmatively,  give  him  my  compliments.  He  appears  to 
be  one  of  those  frank  souls  that  I  am  fond  of.  To  be  sure  you 
must  pass  an  hour  now  and  then  very  agreeably  with  your 
cousin  P.  Does  not  your  generous  spirit  sometimes  feel  willing 
to  share  that  happiness  with  your  friends  ?  Lackaday  me ! 
Some  of  your  friends  have  no  pleasure  like  that,  yet  they  are 
happy  enough.  D.  WEBSTER. 

N.  B.  I  do  not  much  approve  the  literary  taste  of  your 
Charlestown  ladies ! 

P.  S.  My  office-mates,  John  Doe  and  Richard  Roe,  send  love 
to  you. 

VOL.  i.  12 


134  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    BINGHAM    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Charlestown,  N.  H.,  April  8,  1803. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — Here  I  am,  with  the  whole  office  to  my 
self,  except  that  part  occupied  by  the  honorable  gentlemen  of 
the  shelf.  Mr.  West  and  Mr.  Briggs  are  now  attending  our 
Common  Pleas  Court  at  Keene.  Mr.  Sumner  likewise.  Rice 
is  also  there,  waiting  his  destiny.  From  this  you  will  naturally 
conclude,  that  Mr.  Foster  and  myself  are  the  only  "  law  charac 
ters  "  in  the  place :  hem !  hem !  and  I  think  quite  enough,  with 
out  they  are  better. 

It  is  in  vain,  Daniel,  to  aspire  to  eminence  in  law,  or  any 
other  profession  in  this  country.  Our  fortunes  are  not  adequate. 
The  main  point,  to  which  our  ambition  is  to  be  directed,  is  the 
attainment  of  a  necessary  support.  Were  the  sons  of  America 
perfectly  independent ;  had  they  wealth  enough  to  carry  them 
through  life,  without  toiling  and  sweating,  to  gain  a  subsistence 
for  themselves  and  families ;  then  we  might  see  men  of  emi 
nence  and  deep  learning  amongst  us ;  then  would  a  Locke,  a 
Newton,  a  Shakespeare,  and  a  Milton  grace  our  land,  and  im 
mortalize  our  fame  in  the  literary  world.  Nothing  then  would 
those  who  had  a  mind  to  devote  themselves  to  study  have  to 
impede  their  progress ;  nothing  to  engage  their  attention,  but  a 
steady  uniform  course  of  literature.  It  cannot  be  supposed  that 
the  natural  genius  of  Europeans  is,  in  any  degree,  superior  to 
that  of  Americans.  Our  clime  is  as  favorable  as  theirs ;  our 
constitutions  equally  sound  and  rugged.  It  must,  I  think,  be 
attributed  to  education ;  and  this  education  must  be  the  result 
of  fortune  and  independence.  But  what  signify  a  few  years  at 
our  infant  universities,  and  that  too  perhaps  half  taken  up,  in 
devising  means  to  procure  our  maintenance  there  the  other  half? 
And  admitting  that  one  pass  his  four  years  at  college,  and  is 
not  troubled  with  these  evils.  If  he  enter  the  profession  of  law, 
for  instance,  it  is  impossible  to  keep  from  his  mind  the  thoughts 
of  his  future  dependence,  knowing  that  his  time  henceforward 
must  be  spent  in  the  practice  of  the  science,  if  he  should 
be  so  lucky  as  to  obtain  any,  and  not  in  investigating  and 
exploring  the  science  itself;  and  if  he  have  no  practice,  why 
he  has  nothing  to  do,  but  to  change  his  employment  or  starve. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  135 

Sad  alternative !  Well,  well,  Dan,  we  have  to  live  this  life  but 
once,  and  it  ought  to  be  our  object,  in  whatever  employment 
we  may  be  engaged,  so  to  conduct  as  to  acquit  our  consciences, 
and  promote  the  happiness  of  our  fellow-travellers  in  the  journey 
of  life. 

I  am  now  perusing  Bohun's  Institutio  Legalis.  It  is  pretty 
tough,  and  I  believe  very  good.  Mr.  Sprague  used  to  say, 
"  To  take  up  that,  is  like  taking  a  buh1  by  the  horns,"  and  you 
know  I  am  not  very  stout,  therefore  I  cannot  manage  it  very 
well. 

I  hear  Mr.  Campbell  is  chosen  Register  of  Deeds  for  the 
county  ;  he  now  lives  at  Acworth,  will  probably  move  to  Wai- 
pole.  I  saw  Dr.  Smith  a  few  moments  the  other  day,  who  tells 
me  he  has  moved  to  Cornish,  and  Freeborn  is  there  with  him. 
He  is  one  of  those  souls  in  whom  goodness  abounds.  I  give 
myself  the  pleasure  to  hope  that  I  shah1  see  him  soon.  I  have 
not  heard  one  word  from  my  father  since  you  left  me ;  so  that  I 
can  tell  you  nothing  about  going  to  Concord  in  June.  If  he  is 
willing  and  will  help  me  off  as  I  wish,  I  shah1  most  assuredly 

visit  you.      L was  extremely  disappointed  at  not  seeing 

Mr.  Webster,  and  the  only  consolation  appeared  to  be,  "  that 
you  would  cah1  when  you  come  again."  Enos  is  well,  and  often 
speaks  with  pleasure  of  a  certain  Mr.  Webster,  "  who  made  me 

a  visit  last  fall,"  and  sends   his  compliments   to   him.     

told  me  a  few  days  since,  that  when  I  wrote  I  might  give  her 
love  to  you,  if  I  thought  you  would  accept  it.  She  is  a  good 
girl  if  I  am  not  mistaken. 

P.  S.     Give  my  love  to  your  office-mates  and  others. 

Ever  yours. 

JAMES  H.  BINGHAM. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER.1 

May  15,  1803. 

DANIEL, — It  did  cut  truly  and  it  was  the  unkindest  cut  of  all. 
I  hope  we  shall  not  have  many  more  "  slices  from  that  loaf."  I 
have  hastily  examined  my  own  resources,  and  find  them  inade- 

1  This  letter  refers  to  a  request  from  Mr.  Davis  to  Ezekiel  Webster  to  edit  the 
Dartmouth  Gazette  anonymously. 


136  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

quate  to  the  management  of  such  a  work.  Indeed,  I  never  thought 
them  competent.  I  have  now  no  idea  of  undertaking  the  busi 
ness,  I  could  not  afford  to  do  it  under  two  or  three  dollars  a 
number,  and  Mr.  Davis  would  be  unwilling  to  give,  perhaps,  as 
many  cents.  It  would  be  impossible  that  the  editor  should 
remain  perfectly  unknown,  and  he  would  be  sure  to  have  all  the 
odium  thrown  upon  him  if  it  failed,  and  would  receive  no  praise 
if  it  succeeded.  Do  not  have  an  idea  that  I  ever  had  vanity 
enough  to  think  myself  able  to  conduct  such  a  work.  Ascribe 
it  to  the  want  of  money,  which,  at  that  moment,  would  have 
induced  me  to  undertake  any  thing.  Mr.  Cook  and  Sam.  Os- 
good  were  on  the  plain  not  long  since.  All  well  at  Fryeburg, 
when  they  left  the  place.  Sam.  has  an  idea  of  entering  Junior 
at  Commencement.  I  do  not  know  but  I  should  accompany 
Sawyer  to  Salisbury,  if  our  studies  were  not  so  very  important, 
studies  no  less  important  and  interesting  than  Euclid  and  Ho 
mer.  I  shall  expect  to  see  you  here  some  time  this  month.  I 
may  want  to  see  you  by  that  time.  Next  Wednesday  is  Sopho 
more  quarter  day.  Brown  has  the  Latin;  Lyman  the  Greek, 
and  Whiting  the  English  oration. 

Good-bye,  E.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  May  18,  1803. 

DEAR  HERVEY, — Yours  of  April  8  was  received  at  the  very 
moment  when  I  wished  for  it.  This  is  the  fortune  which  attends 
all  your  letters.  At  present,  I  suppose,  Charlestown  does  not 
experience  such  a  paucity  of  "  law  characters  "  as  at  the  date  of 
yours.  It  is  a  little  presumptuous  to  expect  you  will  find  time 
to  read  this  in  the  middle  of  a  court  week ;  but  I  know  you  to 
be  pretty  industrious,  and  to  find  time  for  many  things. 

The  late  term  in  this  county  was  very  interesting,  as  they  say, 
for  I  had  not  the  pleasure  to  attend.  There  were  more  indict 
ments  than  have  been  known  for  a  long  time ;  a  sure  proof  how 
rapidly  we  advance  in  perfectibility.  Hillsborough,  you  know, 
is  the  most  democratic  county ! 

Russell,  the  pure  printer  at  Concord,  has  found  it  convenient 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  137 

to  abscond.  He  happened  very  unfortunately  to  be  engaged  in 
counterfeiting  money  in  Connecticut  some  years  ago,  and  the 
vindictive  tyranny  of  that  Tory  State  hath  pursued  him  to  this 
very  hour.  His  Godwin-taught  friends,  say,  it  is  abominable  to 
punish  a  citizen  for  mere  misfortunes.  Aye ! 

What  you  have  said  of  the  obstacles  in  the  way  to  eminence 
in  this  country,  hath  much  truth  to  support  it.  But  what  then? 
Must  we  sit  down  contented  in  the  lowly  valley  of  inferiority  ? 
This  is  a  cold,  poor,  comfortless  place.  If  the  hill  of  difficulties 
be  so  high  we  cannot  climb  over  it,  yet  perhaps  we  can  make 
a  shift  to  creep  round  it.  At  all  events  it  is  worth  the  trial.  I 
do  not  soon  expect  to  see  in  America,  a  Locke,  a  Newton,  a 
Pope,  or  a  Sir  Joshua.  But  Mansfields  and  Kenyons,  I  believe, 
we  shall  rear  in  the  next  age ;  and  the  reason  of  the  difference  is 
that  eminence  will  be  sought  with  more  ardor  in  the  lucrative 
professions,  than  in  the  abstract  sciences  and  the  fine  arts. 

Lemy  Bliss  was  this  way  the  other  day,  and  has  passed  into 
Vermont  in  character  of  a  preacher.  Success  to  him ! 

At  present  I  peruse  Hume  and  "Woodeson.  Next  week  I 
expect  with  all  deference  and  modesty  to  introduce  myself  to 
that  prince  of  the  laws,  Sir  Edward  Coke.  If  any  difficulty 
arises  between  him  and  me,  as  no  doubt  there  will,  my  master 
T.  is  ready  to  appear  in  character  of  umpire. 

The  first  day  of  June,  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  I 
shall  see  you,  I  am  sure  I  shall,  at  Stickney's  in  Concord.  Till 
then,  and  forever  after,  good-bye. 

Yours  in  truth, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  The  compliment  you  communicated,  strongly  fastens 
on  the  memory  of  the  heart.  Proffer  a  great  share  of  my  love 
in  return. 

Mention  me  to  your  cousin  Enos,  whenever  you  have  not 
something  better  to  say  to  him.  D.  W. 

12* 


138  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Hanover,  May  21,  1803. 

DANIEL, — I  acknowledged,  in  my  letter  by  Mr.  Sawyer,  the 
receipt  of  the  cash  you  sent  me,  and  for  which,  if  you  think 
proper,  you  will  give  my  thanks  to  Mr.  T.  T. 

Though  that  sum  relieved  me  from  many  embarrassments, 
yet  I  assure  you  my  finances  are  not  in  the  most  prosperous 
condition.  My  note  to  Pomroy  was  upwards  of  forty  dollars, 
besides  many  other  bills  of  minor  amount.  You  hinted  to  me 
in  your  last,  that  I  should  have  some  money  soon.  The  very 
suggestion  seemed  to  dispel  the  gloom  that  was  thickening 
around  me.  It  seemed  like  a  momentary  flash  that  suddenly 
bursts  through  a  night  of  clouds,  or  as  Young  says : 

"  So  looked,  in  chaos,  the  first  beam  of  light." 

You  informed  me  that  you  were  to  meet  in  council  at  Con 
cord.  Whenever  you  meet,  let  money  be  the  object  of  your 
consultation.  Mr.  Davis  no  doubt  will  wish  you  to  write  for 
his  paper,  The  Tablet,  should  he  commence  its  publication. 
But  whatever  celebrity  a  newspaper  essayist  may  gain,  unless 
accompanied  by  something  more  substantial,  it  will  never  feed 
or  clothe  him,  it  will  never  buy  him  a  pair  of  boots  or  purchase 
a  nightcap.  I  shall  send  your  boots  by  mail.  Since  I  began 
to  write  this  letter,  I  have  heard  something  which  so  agitates 
me,  I  can  neither  think  nor  write.  I  may  let  you  know  what  it 
is  next  Saturday. 

Good-bye  and  may  God  bless  us. 

E.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBRTER. 

Dartmouth  College,  May  28,  1803. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — In  my  last  letter  I  informed  you,  that  a  little 
affair  had  taken  place  which  so  discomposed  me,  that  I  had 
neither  the  control  of  my  thoughts  nor  the  command  of  my  pen. 
The  little  affair  was  nothing  less  than  the  discovery  of  a  plot, 
which  had  for  its  object  the  destruction  of  the  Fraternity,  and 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  139 

not  merely  the  Fraternity,  but  the  conspirators  aimed  at  the 
abolition  of  every  society  in  college.  With  the  secrecy  of 
Jesuits,  they  drew  up  a  paper  to  that  effect  and  used  all  their 
influence  to  procure  signers.  And  they  were  but  too  successful. 
A  solitary  few  only, 

"  Apparent  rari  nantes  in  gurgite  vasto," 

remained  unshaken  ;  but  one  in  the  Freshman  class,  one  in  the 
Sophomore  class,  and  three  in  mine.  Many  of  our  best  mem 
bers,  however,  were  absent.  By  a  little  exertion,  we  procured 
more  than  one  fourth,  a  number  sufficient  to  prevent  the  altera 
tion  of  any  article  in  the  constitution.  The  conspirators,  driven 
to  despair  by  this  measure,  and  conscious  of  possessing  a  large 
majority,  made  an  effort  to  expel  those  members  who  were  op 
posed  to  them,  and  then  they  could  alter  the  constitution,  or 
destroy  it  at  their  pleasure.  Seaver  was  designated  as  the  first 
victim  of  their  cursed  policy.  But  the  attempt  failed,  and  we 
are  yet  members.  I  am  sorry  to  tell  you  that  every  fellow  from 
Salisbury,  but  myself,  enlisted  under  the  banner  of  the  conspir 
ators.  The  Social  Friends  witnessed  like  troubles  with  our 
selves  ;  but  they  began  at  their  last  meeting  a  glorious  work, 
and  may  they  perfect  it.  They  expelled  two,  and  others  will 
have  to  walk  soon.  It  is  but  right  that  the  person  who  raises  a 
storm  should  perish  in  its  ravages. 

This  conspiracy,  I  believe,  is  unparalleled.  It  does  not  re 
semble  that  of  Brutus,  for  Csesar  was  a  tyrant,  and  Brutus  an 
"  honorable  man."  It  is  not  like  Catiline's,  for  Catiline  himself 
was  a  saint  compared  with  some  of  the  fellows  who  plotted  this 
scheme.  If  it  has  its  parallel,  it  is  in  the  conspiracy  of  the 
Pazzi  against  the  celebrated  Lorenzo  the  Magnificent. 

At  the  next  meeting  is  our  election.  They  will  carry  every 
ling  before  them.  Well,  let  them,  for  the  triumphing  of  the 
wicked  is  short.  You  have  probably  received  your  boots.  If 
they  do  not  suit,  you  have  the  liberty  of  returning  them.  I  wish 
yon  a  good  and  happy  election. 

E.  WEBSTER. 


140  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

Salisbury,  July  2,  1803. 

ESQUIRE  WELD, — Your  last  kind  letter  was  not  answered  by 
the  next  post,  as  you  requested,  and  for  a  very  good  reason.  I 
was  about  going  to  "  the  college,"  and  delayed  writing,  that  I 
might  give  you  some  account  of  things  there.  Well,  now  you 
are  all  alive  to  hear  the  news,  as  in  due  order  you  shall.  I  ar 
rived  there  just  as  St.  John  was  receiving  the  compliment  of  a 
sermon  from  brother  Barber,  and  an  address  from  brother  Wm. 
Woodward.  This  over,  your  humble  servant  had  the  honor  of 

dining  with  General  B.'s  daughter  S .     O  !  how  deliciously 

the  dinner  tasted !  Then,  after  strolling  up  to  college  and  down 
to  brother  Davis's,  your  servant  aforesaid,  walked  down  towards 
the  bridge  to  the  house  of  Deacon  Fuller,  if  you  recollect  where 
it  stands.  There  he  found  Mr.  Preceptor  Merrill  in  the  wicked 
ness  of  a  game  of  backgammon.  A  cup  of  tea,  however,  induced 
him  to  forbear  reproaching  them  for  gambling,  and  he  almost 
wished  he  could  play  himself. 

About  nine  he  wandered  "  unfriended  and  alone "  into  the 
ball-room.  What  a  congregation  of  beauty !  Whose  heart  but 
must  nutter  a  little  at  so  many  pretty  faces  ?  Ah !  here  was  all 
one's  safety ;  attention  was  so  much  divided,  that  it  could  not 
fasten  anywhere,  and  though  he  "  trod  among  a  thousand  perils," 
came  off  unhurt.  About  eleven  I  tumbled  into  bed,  at  Dewey's, 
with  our  old  friend  Campbell,  but  the  witches  were  so  much  in 
his  head  I  could  not  sleep.  By  the  way,  Campbell  told  me  he 
is  going  to  Portland  in  August.  Saturday  I  wasted  in  troubling 
brother  Davis  and  a  few  other  good  folks,  and  Monday  went  off 
for  Woodstock.  I  saw  some  of  the  nice  Vermont  folks,  and 
Monday  returned  to  Hanover.  Tuesday  afternoon  visited  with 
a  thousand  good  people  at  Deacon  Fuller's ;  really  Weld,  bad  as 
you  are,  I  should  have  been  glad  to  see  you  there,  merely  because 
it  would  have  been  more  like  old  times.  On  retiring,  the  pos 
sessor  of  my  arm  was  so  preposterous  as  to  say,  "  Weld  is  truly 
very  sprightly  and  amiable ! "  With  all  the  rhetoric  I  had,  I 
could  not  beat  her  out  of  this  foolish  idea,  and  I  believe  in  my 
soul  she  will  carry  it  to  her  grave  with  her.  Alas,  alas,  the  per 
versity  of  female  minds  !  As  you  are  now  purchasing  probably 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  141 

in  the  District  of  Maine,  and  will  not  settle  your  possessions  in 
this  State,  I  wish  to  bargain  with  you  at  Commencement  for  a 
quitclaim  of  all  right  and  title,  in  possession  or  expectancy,  to 
the  premises  hereafter  laid,  as  I  have  thought  of  pitching  that 
way.  Among  sixty  Misses  in  the  ball-room  I  could  not  dis 
cover  the  paragon,  till  she  was  pointed  to  me.  Her  features  had 
strayed  out  of  my  mind  in  the  roll  of  two  years,  though  youi 
memory,  I  fancy,  is  something  more  tenacious. 

Nabby  R.  is  gone,  gone,  gone.     "  Happy  the  man." 
I  will  not  fail  to  scold  Bingham,  as  you  request,  when  I  write 
to  him  next. 

You  know  what  will  oblige  me  ;  writing  immediately  to  your 
brother  student,  brother  college-mate,  brother  class-mate,  brother 
Frater,  brother  Adelphian,  and  friend, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 

N.  B.  The  narrative  part  of  this  epistle  is  equal  to  the  travels 
of  Robert  Wren.  • 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Salisbury,  July  30,  1803. 

FRIEND  MERRILL, — What  kind  of  punishment  you  will  inflict 
on  me  for  taxing  you  with  this  at  the  present  time  I  cannot  say. 
1  only  know  that  you  are  a  man  of  clemency,  and  shall  not 
think  myself  hardly  dealt  with,  if  you  do  nothing  more  than 
retaliate. 

In  truth,  I  am  solicitous  to  draw  from  you  a  letter,  and  send 
this  very  much  for  that  purpose,  although  you  will  think  it  doing 
evil,  that  good  may  come,  and  therefore  contrary  to  sound  mo 
rality.  When  I  saw  you  last  you  talked  of  writing  me  soon, 
and  I  have  been  "  punctual  as  lover  to  the  moment  sworn  "  in 
my  semi-weekly  attendance  at  the  post-office,  ever  since. 

Peter  Pindar  singeth  that  "  man's  thoughts  are  ever  busy,  all 
alive,"  and  I  believe  he  singeth  truly.  My  own  thoughts,  I  am 
sure,  are  the  most  industrious  members  of  my  commonwealth, 
and  they  travel  all  around  the  circuit  of  the  spheres  in  the  little 
space  of  time  in  which  I  am  snuffing  my  candle.  In  this  jour 
ney  they  will  sometimes  stop  at  Hanover,  as  the  end  of  their 


142 


PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


road,  merely,  I  suppose,  because  you  and  Zeke  live  there.  I 
dare  not  suspect  any  other  reason,  for  sending  a  flight  of  the 
mind  that  way,  because  he  that  suspects  is  in  a  fair  way  to  be 
convinced.  You  know  what  the  scripture  saith  of  him  that 
doubteth,  and,  more  to  my  present  purpose,  you  know  what  the 
poet  saith, 

"  And  you're  undone,  the  fatal  shaft  has  sped, 
If  once  you  doubt  whether  you  love  or  no,"  .  .  . 

These  reasons  determine  me  to  be  convinced  that  it  is  only 
on  account  of  my  male  friends,  that  I  ever  think  of  Hanover.  I 
can  perfectly  see  you  at  this  moment,  with  an  aspect  half  smil 
ing,  and  half  satirical,  as  you  have  read  above  and  are  now  say 
ing,— 

"  Ah,  brother  Dan !  brother  Dan !  Mary  has  caught  thee,  and 
holds  thee  fast  as  the  folks  did  the  spirit  in  "  Lob's  pound." 
Ha,  ha!  Tommy,  I  wish  I  could  see  you,  and  convince  you 
how  much  you  are  mistaken.  But  I  believe  you  must  live  in 
your  prejudice  until  Commencement,  and  when  brother  Herbert 
takes  her  by  the  foretop  and  saith,  "  Thou  art  mine,"  you  will 
see  how  gladly  and  cheerfully  I  will  part  with  what  I  never 
owned.  I  rejoice  at  a  little  bit  of  news  I  hear  from  college,  in 
which  I  think  I  can  trace  the  marks  of  your  own  finger.  Zeke 
tells  me  that  H.  H.  are  letters  component  of  P.  B.  K.  Good ! 

I  saw  our  classmate  Noyes  this  week.  Has  orbit  of  peda 
gogical  fame  is  very  bright.  I  think  they  will  never  consent  to 
part  with  him  at  Concord. 

Good-bye.  As  to  love  and  compliments  I  send  no  particular 
directions,  you  know  I  trust  all  to  your  disposal. 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  Pardon  this  valetudinary  epistle ;  excessive  heats  you 
know  dissipate  ideas  as  well  as  strength. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 


Salisbury,  September  3,  1803. 
IT  is  something  uncertain,  brother  Jemmy,  whether  I  am  in 
debted  to  you  in  the  sum  of  one  letter,  or  you  to  me ;  but  I  am 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  143 

resolved  to  place  it  beyond  all  doubt.  The  last  I  had  from  your 
Honor  gave  me  a  good  account  of  the  Federalism  of  your  own 
town,  Lempster.  It  is  to  be  hoped,  notwithstanding  the  efforts 
of  the  redoubtable  Mr.  Haines,  that  Lempster  will  not  worship 
idols,  as  the  fashion  of  many  is,  at  this  day,  of  Jacobinism  and 
iniquity,  which  two  words  are  so  closely  allied  in  signification, 
that  the  latter  always  follows  the  former,  just  as  in  grammar, 
"  the  accusative  case  follows  the  transitive  verb."  Friend  Flavel 
is  yet,  in  some  respects,  as  appears  by  the  toast  he  gave,  much 
too  honest  for  a  democrat. 

I  expected  somewhat  to  hear  from  you  from  Commencement, 
as  I  was  informed  from  the  sweetest  lips  on  all  these  plains,  as 
I  verily  believe,  although  entirely  upon  credit,  that  your  fair  and 
good  cousin  Mary  was  to  be  there,  in  company  with  her  friend 
Miss  Laura  Hubbard,  and  of  such  a  party  I  concluded  your 
philosophy  would  not  restrain  you  from  being  one ;  if  it  should, 
thought  I,  'tis  a  very  bad  philosophy;  worse,  much  worse,  in 
my  opinion,  than  that  new  species  against  which  our  Federal 
clergymen  so  loudly  and  justly  declaim.  But,  if  Zeke  is  to  be 
believed,  you  did  not  show  yourself  at  college.  You  were  per 
haps  more  happy  at  home ;  or  perhaps  you  thought  as  I  did, 
that  a  dozen  dollars  would  slide  out  of  the  pocket  in  a  Com 
mencement  jaunt  much  easier  than  they  would  slide  in  again 
after  you  got  home.  This  was  the  exact  reason  why  I  was  not 
there,  for  there  were  some  people  there  whom  I  much  wished  to 
see.  I  flatter  myself  that  none  of  my  friends  ever  thought  me 
greatly  absorbed  in  the  sin  of  avarice,  yet  I  assure  you,  Jem,  that 
in  these  days  of  poverty  I  look  on  a  round  dollar,  if  it  be  my 
own,  with  a  great  deal  of  complacency.  These  rascal  dollars  are 
so  necessary  to  the  comfort  of  life,  that  next  to  a  fine  wife  they 
are  most  essential,  and  their  acquisition  an  object  of  prime  im 
portance.  Oh,  Bingham,  how  blessed  it  wonild  be  to  retire  with 
a  decent,  clever  bag  of  Rixes  to  a  pleasant  country  town,  and 
follow  one's  own  inclination  without  being  shackled  by  the  duties 
of  a  profession !  But  this  is  a  dream,  and  it  vanishes  soon. 

Zeke  says  that  Bracket  gave  a  poem  to  the  P.  B.  K.  which 
was  really  dulce,  full  of  the  "  grit,"  as  Corey  used  to  say.  It  will 
je  printed.  I  am  glad  that  the  New  York  climate  has  not  cor 
rupted  his  heart,  and  turned  his  head.  Say,  James,  when  I  am 
to  see  you  here.  It  seems  to  me  I  have  some  strong  claims  on 


144  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

you  for  a  visit,  and  shall  begin  to  complain  gently  if  you  do 
not  perform  it  soon,  very  soon ;  you  know  how  your  promise 
stands. 

Accompanying  this  is  one  to  good  old  Corey,  send  it  to  him 
when  you  have  an  opportunity.  Give  my  compliments,  if  you 
please,  to  Mr.  Briggs,  and  my  love  to  Harry,  if  he  is  in  town ; 
same  sort  of  currency  to  our  friend  Hall ;  and  last  of  all,  but  not 
least  of  all,  present  me,  in  whatever  manner  will  be  most  accept 
able,  to  your  and  my  friends  Polly  and  Enos. 

I  am,  Sir,  your  most  dutiful,  most  obliged,  most  obsequious, 
most  loving,  most  unworthy,  ever  grateful,  ever  affectionate, 
and  ever  during  friend,  and  humble  servant,  client,  tenant,  and 
bondman. 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

October  6,  1803. 

HERVEY, — One  Joseph  W.  Brackett  probably  handed  you  an 
urbanic  letter  from  me,  written  at  Hanover,  in  which  I  promised 
to  send  you  soon  an  epistle,  "three  feet  long,"  in  answer  to 
several  questions  you  ask  respecting  my  wanderings  to  and  fro. 
Here  then  you  shall  have  the  three  feet. 

And  first,  my  father  has  an  important  suit  at  law  pending  be 
fore  the  Supreme  Court  of  Vermont.  This  has  frequently  called 
me  into  that  realm,  in  the  course  of  the  past  summer.  Mr. 
Marsh  of  Woodstock  is  of  counsel  to  us,  wherefore  I  have  made 
him  several  visits,  in  arranging  the  necessary  preliminaries  to 
trial.  This  circumstance,  I  fancy,  originated  the  suggestion  that 
I  contemplated  reading  in  his  office.  In  reality,  I  have  no  such 
idea  in  my  head  at  present.  Heretofore  I  have  been  inclined  to 
think  of  Vermont  as  a  place  of  practice,  and  as  preparatory  there 
for  have  thought  it  possible  that  I  might  read  a  year  in  that 
State ;  but  I  never  carried  my  views  so  far  as  to  fix  on  an  offic 
and  at  this  time  have  no  views  at  all  of  that  kind. 

Secondly.  You  have  heard  that  I  contemplated  finishing  my 
studies  in  Massachusetts.  There  is  more  foundation  for  this 
than  the  other.  It  is  true  I  have  laid  many  plans  to  enable  my 
self  to  be  some  time  in  Boston,  before  I  go  into  practice,  but  I 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  145 

did  not  know  that  I  had  mentioned  the  circumstance  abroad, 
because  it  is  all  uncertain.  I  believe  that  some  acquaintance  in 
the  capital  of  New  England,  would  be  very  useful  to  us,  who 
expect  to  plant  ourselves  down  as  country  lawyers.  But  I  can 
not  control  my  fortune ;  I  must  follow  wherever  circumstances 
lead.  My  going  to  Boston  is  therefore  much  more  a  matter  of 
hope,  than  of  probability ;  unless  something  like  a  miracle  puts 
the  means  in  my  hands,  I  shall  not  budge  from  here  very  soon. 
Depend  on  it,  however,  James,  that  I  shall  some  time  avail  my 
self  of  more  advantages  than  this  smoky  village  affords.  But 
when  or  where  you  and  I  know  equally  well.  If  my  circum 
stances  were  like  yours,  I  would  by  all  means  pass  a  six  months 
in  Boston.  The  acquaintances  you  would  be  likely  to  form 
there,  might  help  you  to  much  business  in  the  course  of  life. 
You  can  pass  that  time  there  just  as  well  as  not,  and  I  therefore 
advise  to  it,  as  far  as  I  ought  to  advise  to  any  thing.  But 
"  some  men  are  born  with  a  silver  spoon  in  their  mouths,  and 
others  with  a  wooden  ladle!"  Would  not  you  thank  me  to 
mend  my  pen  ? 

If  you  can  tell  what  it  is  to  read  Coke  in  black  letter  on  a 
day  too  warm  for  a  fire  and  too  cold  to  be  without  one,  it  will 
save  me  any  description  of  myself.  When  tired  of  old  Coke,  I 
look  at  Smollett's  continuation  of  Hume's  history.  The  whole 
of  my  reading,  however,  does  not  amount  to  much.  I  can  hardly 
be  called  a  student  at  law.  The  law  question  that  now  puzzles 
us  in  this  quarter,  is  whether  Bonaparte,  when  he  shall  have 
gone  to  John  Bull's  palace,  and  taken  hold  of  the  ring  of  the 
door  in  the  name  of  seizin  of  the  whole  Island,  will  be  such  a 
king  against  whom  it  will  be  treason,  in  an  Englishman,  to 
fight  ?  But  they  may  settle  this  among  them  ;  you  and  I  will 
not  give  our  opinion  without  a  fee ! 

I  shall  be  alone  here  for  three  weeks.  Why  will  you  not  just 
take  your  horse  and  gallop  down  here  ?  Do  come,  pray  do. 
'Twill  take  but  just  a  day  from  your  father's.  I  will  tell  you 
when  you  must  come.  On  the  15th  instant.  I  shall  be  at 
Warner,  which  is  not  more  than  twenty-five  miles  from  Lemp- 
ster ;  come  then  and  find  me  there — will  you  not  be  there  ?  Say 
"  aye,"  do.  I  shall  look  for  you. 

I  am,  as  I  have  been  time  whereof  the  memory  of  man  run 
neth  not  to  the  contrary,  your  friend,  D.  WEBSTER. 
VOL.  i.                                 13 


146  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

Salisbury,  October  6,  1803. 

DEAR  FULLER, — The  burden  of  my  letters  has  been  so  much 
an  account  of  some  jaunt,  that  I  have  made  to  Connecticut 
River,  that  you  will  ere  long  suspect  me  of  having  particular 
business  to  transact  in  that  quarter.  However,  I  think  I  may 
say  that  I  have  lately  performed  the  last  tour  that  way,  that  is 
to  be  done  for  some  time.  Last  week  I  was  two  days  on  "  the 
plains,"  and  passed  them  very  pleasantly.  I  was  at  your 
friend's ;  passed  an  evening  in  a  large  circle  at  the  Printer's, 
where  was  the  Paragon,  and  M.  ~W.,  and  Sophia,  &c.  "  And 
there  were  many  more,  too  many  for  me  to  name."  As  I  did 
not  expect  to  behold  their  faces  very  soon  again,  I  felt  much  like 
enjoying  their  enrapturing  conversation  a  few  evenings  more, 
but  it  was  not  very  convenient.  There  I  found  J.  W.  Brackett, 
on  his  way  to  New  York.  Jo.  means  to  figure  in  the  world, 
and  I  say  fortune  speed  him.  He  is  a  clever  fellow,  and  if  you 
and  I  had  a  little  of  his  dash,  it  would  be  better  for  us.  The 
world  is  governed  more  by  appearance  than  reality,  and  therefore 
it  is  fully  as  necessary  to  seem  to  know  something,  as  to  know 
it  in  reality.  A  perfect  character  in  these  respects  is  he  who  has 
a  good  deal  of  outside  with  a  good  deal  within,  but  if  one  must 
be  dispensed  with,  it  is  deserving  some  consideration  which  is 
most  important,  the  appearance  of  knowledge,  or  the  reality 
of  it. 

There  were  some  fellows  at  college  with  us,  who  were  quit 
as  much  in  the  "  nine  holes  "  respecting  cash  as  you  and 
These  fellows  are  doing  finely,  and  if  we  will  but  aspire,  we 
may  do  finely  also.  Brackett  left  college  as  poor  as  Phi  Beta ; 
he  has  read  his  profession  under  fine  advantages,  and  is  no~\ 
able  to  figure  with  horse  and  chaise.  Clark  has  become  a 
quaker,  associated  himself  with  a  rich  house  in  New  York,  and 
gone  to  India  with  good  prospects.  How  well  you  are  doing  I 
cannot  tell,  but  I  am  just  as  I  was,  neither  poorer  nor  richer ; 
more  studious  or  less  so ;  but  having  a  little  more  ambition 
court  the  muse  of  law,  and  no  desire  to  court  anybody  else 
hardly. 

You  are  pleased  to  say  that  it  would  be  agreeable  to  see  me 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  147 

on  the  Kennebec  in  the  course  of  the  year.  That  is  not  likely, 
unless  I  go  that  way  to  tarry.  The  next  time  I  set  off,  I  bid 
farewell  to  this  spot.  Pray  write  me  what  your  circumstances, 
advantages,  hopes,  and  prospects  are,  whether  there  be  any  little 
nook  left  unoccupied  where  one  might  get  a  living,  &c.,  and, 
where  do  you  intend  to  plant  yourself? 

In  answer  to  all  this,  write  soon,  and  oblige  your  friend, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Hanover,  October  18,  1803. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — Having  no  news  to  communicate,  I  must 
have  recourse  to  such  thoughts  as  my  studies  suggest,  to  fill  up 
my  sheet. 

Horace  very  justly  observes  that  it  is  pleasant,  sometimes,  to 
relax  the  mind  and  dissipate  attention ;  and  he  might  have 
added  with  equal  propriety,  that  it  is  also  useful  and  requisite ; 
for  relaxation  from  study  is  as  necessary  to  the  mind  as  rest 
from  labor  to  the  body.  The  strongest  intellect  cannot  bear  con 
stant  exertion  without  impairing  its  faculties.  The  bow  which 
is  always  kept  in  tension  loses  its  elasticity.  Nor  can  the  bird 
of  Jove,  though  the  boldest  and  strongest  in  flight,  always  keep 
upon  the  wing.  Since  the  mind  is  not  capable  of  uninterrupted 
exercise,  it  becomes  a  matter  of  great  importance  to  discover 
what  will  best  recreate  and  strengthen  its  debilitated  powers. 
Here  the  physicians  of  the  mind,  no  less  than  those  of  the  body, 
have  differed  in  their  prescriptions.  One  advises  us  to  frequent 
company;  another  exhorts  us  to  retire  into  solitude.  Cicero 
tells  us  that  he  used  to  withdraw  from  the  fatigue  and  bustle  of 
the  forum,  into  his  closet,  and  there  relax  and  refresh  his  wearied 
mind  by  reading  the  poetry  of  Ennius  and  Archias.  Their 
writings  must  have  afforded  infinite  pleasure  to  a  person  of  a 
taste  so  exquisite  as  was  Cicero.  He  was  philosopher  enough 
to  know  that  whatever  pleases  the  mind  enlivens  it ;  whatever 
delights,  invigorates.  Perhaps  the  poetry  of  no  nation  ever 
abounded  more  in  ingenious  fiction  and  agreeable  narratives 
than  the  Latin ;  and  consequently,  none  was  ever  better  adapted 
to  relieve  and  renovate  the  jaded  intellect.  Unhappily,  English 


148 


PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


poetry  affords  no  such  amusement.  Although  it  contains  every 
thing  that  is  brilliant  in  imagery,  splendid  in  sentiment,  or  ele 
gant  in  diction,  yet  it  wants  that  gay  fancy,  that  innocent 
humor,  which  can 


"  light  up  a  smile  on  the  aspect  of  woe." 


Departing  from  its  original  intention,  which  was  to  please,  it 
assumes  the  austerity  of  the  moralist  and  indulges  in  the  subtle 
refinements  of  the  metaphysician.  The  student  who  resorts 
to  poetry,  fondly  hoping  to  find  something  that  shall  recreate, 
soon  discovers  that  he  is  reading,  in  verse,  the  metaphysics  of 
Locke,  or  the  philosophy  of  Newton.  Whether  poetry  has 
suffered  by  the  change,  I  presume  not  to  say,  but  will  venture 
to  affirm  that  it  is  less  suited  to  repair  the  intellect  when  weak 
ened  by  intense  application  to  scientific  or  abstruse  subjects. 
Here,  when  poetry  fails  us,  we  find  the  advantage  of  novels,  a 
species  of  writing  in  which  fancy  lives,  wit  sparkles,  and  senti 
ment  animates.  The  censure  cast  upon  novels  has  been  as  ex 
travagant  as  undeserving.  The  commission  of  almost  every 
crime  has  been  ascribed  to  the  perusal  of  a  novel  or  romance. 
Amid  such  a  variety,  that  there  should  be  some  poor  ones,  is  not 
questioned ;  that  they  frequently  produce  bad  effects,  is  not  dis 
puted.  If  it  be  an  objection  to  novels  that  they  may  be  per 
verted  from  their  original  purpose,  the  same  may  be  made  to 
every  kind  of  writing  and  to  every  branch  of  science.  It  may  be 
urged  against  natural  philosophy  and  metaphysics.  Where  did 
Hume  and  Berkeley  learn  to  live  upon  ideas  but  from  the  study 
of  metaphysics  ?  Where  did  Herbert,  Bolingbroke,  and  Shaftes- 
bury  imbibe  their  deistical  principles  but  from  the  study  of 
natural  philosophy  ?  These  are  consequences  infinitely  more 
injurious  to  society  than  that  the  tear  of  sensibility  should  start 
over  a  tale  of  fictitious  woe,  or  that  compassion  should  be 
awakened  for  sorrows  that  were  never  felt ;  yet  no  one  has  ever 
made  this  a  serious  objection  to  the  study  of  metaphysics  or 
natural  philosophy.  The  great  benefit  of  novels  is,  that  they 
agreeably  entertain,  during  a  vacant  hour,  and  vacant  hours 
men  must  have;  that  they  are  better  adapted  than  any  other 
kind  of  writing  to  restore  the  powers  of  the  mind,  when  exhaust 
ed  ;  to  regale  it,  when  saddened ;  to  enliven  it,  when  languid  ;  to 
strengthen  and  invigorate  it,  when  weakened.  If  they  are  not 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  149 

essential  to  an  education,  they  are  not  entirely  useless.  If  they 
are  not  the  corner-stone  of  our  intellectual  structure,  they  are 
the  minor  decorations  of  the  work,  which  give  grace  and  beauty 
to  the  whole.  They  instruct  as  well  as  please.  Milton  was 
particularly  fond  of  novels  and  works  of  fiction ;  and  by  them 
he  sublimated  that  imagination  which  so  astonishes  throughout 
his  writings.  They  are  often  the  convenient  medium  of  im 
parting  moral  lessons.  Men  are  peculiarly  fond  of  instruction 
conveyed  by  fable ;  and  when  the  story  of  a  well-written  novel 
is  plain,  its  language  chaste,  and  its  sentiments  pure,  a  work 
of  fiction  possessing  these  qualities  and  portraying  human  char 
acter  with  accuracy  will  ever  find  readers  and  ever  captivate 
their  souls  while  men  remain  true  to  their  nature.  Here  I  must 
suspend  my  remarks  for  the  present.  Write  soon. 

Yours,  as  ever, 

E.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Salisbury,  November  11,  1803. 

WHETHER  you  see  fit  to  knight  me  for  a  fool  or  a  philoso 
pher  is  not  very  material.  The  characters,  I  believe,  suit  me 
about  alike.  But  true  it  is,  I  am  so  much  of  one  or  of  the  other, 
that  I  was  quite  able  to  understand  the  whole  of  your  letter 
from  beginning  to  end,  notwithstanding  the  modest  things  you 
are  pleased  to  say  about  its  want  of  connection.  Without  a 
compliment,  friend  Merrill,  you  have  really  the  art  of  writing  a 
very  interesting  letter ;  either  by  the  choice  of  your  subject,  or 
by  the  management  of  it,  or  both,  you  contrive  to  engage  all  my 
attention.  Your  last  was  received  on  a  Sunday's  noon.  It  a 
little  injured  the  effect  of  a  good  sermon ;  but  that  is  a  trifle.  You 
have  confirmed  what  I  have  long  strongly  suspected,  and  I  shall 
have  reasons  for  thanking  you  for  telling  me  the  truth,  as  it  came 
to  your  knowledge,  "  without  partiality  and  without  hypocrisy." 
So  then,  Merrill,  it  is  so.  It  is  so  absolutely ;  I  have  no  doubt 
of  it,  and  every  dictate  of  prudence  and  propriety  enjoins  me  to 
be  silent,  and  let  it  be  so.  But  I  have  heard  that  Lucan,  of  old 
time,  could  not  tell  how  to  determine  the  cause,  when  the  deities 
espoused  one  side  and  Cato  the  other ;  and  although  all  the 
13* 


150  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

dictates  of  prudence  and  propriety  be  arrayed  in  argument,  if 

be  opposed  to  them,  how  can  I  but   hesitate?      But  I 

do  not  hesitate,  the  thing  is  as  good  as  at  an  end.  It  is  known 
only  to  you  and  me ;  when  we  meet  we  will  drink  a  toast  to  the 
power  of  forgetfulness.  You  shall  agree  to  forget  all  the  weak 
ness  and  vanity  which  this  unreserved  intimacy  has  disclosed  ; 
and  on  my  part  I  will  promise  to  forget — to  forget — forget  every 
thing.  The  summer  is  now  over ;  its  fervors  no  longer  inflame 
the  fancy.  Winter  is  at  hand  ;  he  is  a  sober  moralist,  and  will 
doubtless  lesson  me  into  moderation,  and  into  hopes  not  above 
my  desert.  Philosophy  and  tobacco,  too,  beside  winter,  are  fine 
emollients.  What  I  can  expel  by  reflection,  and  what  will  go  off 
infumo,a,t  the  end  of  my  cigar,  will  leave  me  little  of  disappoint 
ment  and  nothing  of  uneasiness.  It  is  now  probable  that  your 
friend  D.  W.  will  much  sooner  be  saying,  "  May  it  please  your 
honors,"  and  "  Gentlemen  of  the  Jury,"  than  "  celestial  maid," 
and  "  angelic  creature."  But  although  I  shall  be  sufficiently 
satisfied  with  myself,  if  I  can  at  any  time  attract  a  little  attention 
when  it  is  not  otherwise  directed,  and  never  aspire  to  be  able  to 
turn  the  current  into  one  channel  when  it  is  strongly  impelled 

in  another,  yet  I  still  believe  that  all  's  love  in  this  case 

will  be  lost.  My  opinion  of  F.  is  just  what  it  has  been,  and  it 
is  confirmed  by  hearing  that  he  has  been  violently  in  love,  since 
he  left  college,  with  a  lady  in  Massachusetts,  whom  he  knew,  at 
the  time,  to  be  engaged.  FIMS. 

Enviable  \vas  my  fortune  last  week  in  having  Bingham  with 
me  three  days.  Seven  years'  intimacy  has  made  him  dear  to  me ; 
he  is  like  a  good  old  penknife,  the  longer  you  have  it  the 
better  it  proves,  and  wears  brighter  till  it  wears  out.  I  believe 
he  will  do  better  in  life  than  many  who  figured  beyond  him  in 
the  university,  because  he  has  a  "  spirit  of  detail ;  "  he  is  minute 
and  particular ;  he  adjusts  trifles,  and  these  trifles  compose 
most  of  the  business  and  the  happiness  of  life.  Great  events 
happen  seldom  and  affect  few ;  trifles  every  moment  happen 
to  everybody,  and  though  one  occurrence  of  them  adds  little  to 
the  happiness  or  misery  of  life,  yet  the  sum  total  of  their  contin 
ual  repetition  is  highly  consequential. 

Accuracy  and  diligence  are  much  more  necessary  to  a  lawyer, 
than  great  comprehension  of  mind,  or  brilliancy  of  talent.  His 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  151 

business  is  to  refine,  define,  and  split  hairs,  to  look  into  authori 
ties,  and  compare  cases.  A  man  can  never  gallop  over  the  fields 
of  law  on  Pegasus,  nor  fly  across  them  on  the  wing  of  oratory. 
If  he  would  stand  on  terra  firma  he  must  descend  ;  if  he  would 
be  a  great  lawyer,  he  must  first  consent  to  be  only  a  great  drudge. 
Bingham  and  I  passed  a  unanimous  vote  that  you  ought  to  be 
here  with  us.  What  a  fine  triumviri  we  should  have  made ;  too 
fine  to  meet  often  in  these  regions.  This  is  modest. 

Compliments  to  whomever  they  will  pass,  and  assurances  of 
friendship  and  esteem  to  yourself  sendeth 

Your  friend,  D.  WEBSTER. 

I  hope  you  have  destroyed  the  letter  to  J.  D.  Esquire.  When 
ever  you  feel  uncommonly  lazy  and  insipid  sit  down  and  see  if 
you  can  write  a  letter  as  foolish  and  as  full  of  I's  and  Me's  as 
this. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Salisbury,  December,  1803. 

WHAT  a  fine  time  to  write  to  Merrill  by  Capt.  Woodward,  if 
Merrill  had  only  answered  my  last!  Oh,  the  rogue,  of  how 
much  happiness  has  he  deprived  himself  by  delay !  For  although 
my  letter  should  be  a  very  poor  one,  it  would  be  received  in  a 
manner  to  make  it  acceptable.  Capt.  W.  would  say :  "  Mr.  Mer 
rill,  there  is  at  our  house  a  letter  for  you,  will  you  call  ?  "  So 
after  tea  Merrill  would  jog  up  to  Professor  W.'s,  and  being  there 
he  would  pleasantly  pass  an  hour  in  company  with  the  Queen 
of  hearts,  that  peerless  Virgo,  with  whom,  if  one  might  unite 
himself,  and  thereby  become  Gemini,  he  would  be  the  most  en 
viable  of  all  the  constellations. 

For  his  sake  then  I  will  away  with  ceremony,  stumble  head 
and  shoulders  into  his  presence,  and  salute  him. 

DEAR  MERRILL, — I  have  more  than  one,  or  two,  that  is  to  say 
I  have  three  reasons  for  writing  you  now,  although  my  last  has 
not  been  answered.  The  first  is,  to  give  you  the  pleasure  in 
the  above  eloquent  soliloquy  mentioned ;  the  second,  because 
I  do  not  wish  our  correspondence  to  assume  an  air  of  formality, 


152  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

but  that  an  unexpected  epistle  may  arrive  now  and  then  fresh 
and  warm  from  the  heart ;  the  third,  that,  having  a  little  bit  of 
leisure,  I  know  not  how  to  employ  myself  better. 

Virgil  says ;  you  know  I  always  loved  Virgil ;  I  never  laid 
him  aside  for  Pope  or  Peter  Pindar,  for  poetry  or  politics  ;  I  never 
neglected  him  to  talk  about  the  Muses  and  Parnassus,  and  Hel 
icon,  and  the  Pierian  Spring,  to  write  learned  essays  for  debating 
clubs  or  squibs  for  the  newspapers ;  and  without  irony,  I  never 
put  him  by,  thank  Providence^  for  Martin's  Philosophy  or  Watt's 
Logic ;  Virgil  says,  in  the  character  of  ^Eneas,  the  brave  boy  who 
bore  his  father  from  his  burning  capital,  just  as  an  affectionate 
rat  will  lug  off  a  decrepit  parent  from  a  building  in  flames ;  Vir 
gil  says :  "  Pulchrum  inter  arma  moriri."  Yes,  Virgil,  thou 
speakest  sapiently ;  it  sure  is  "  a  pleasant  thing  to  die  in  arms," 
and,  reverently  be  it  spoken,  it  is  a  pleasant  thing  to  live  so  too. 

There,  Thomas,  this  is  the  essence  and  quintessence  of  my 
thoughts  upon  matrimony ;  and  much  as  you  read  eulogies  upon 
that  subject,  I  will  bet  five  pence  you  never  before  heard  this 
passage  of  Virgil  made  use  of  for  that  purpose.  I  am  a  surpris 
ing  creature  at  invention ! ! ! 

John  Porter,  in  his  official  capacity,  has  notified  me  of  the 
wishes  of  the  P.  B.  to  write  them  a  poem.  If  six  of  the  nine 
Muses  were  to  stand  at  my  elbow  and  promise  that,  according  to 
their  best  skill  and  discretion,  they  would  inspire  every  line,  word, 
and  syllable,  semicolon,  and  comma,  I  should  not  choose  to  under 
take  to  write  a  poem.  I  left  making  rhymes  when  I  left  col 
lege  ;  and  as  to  poetry,  I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  made  any.  So 
you  must  put  your  heads  together  and  make  another,  and  I  hope 
a  better  choice.  If  Mr.  Everett,  of  Amherst,  could  be  prevailed 
upon  to  undertake  it,  he  would  do  great  credit  to  the  society 
and  the  university.  I  do  wrong  to  tell  you  that  I  have  made  no 
rhymes  since  I  was  graduated.  Two  great  occasions  have  called 
forth  each  a  wondrous  piece  of  verse ;  one,  I  shall  some  time 
show  you,  to  make  you  laugh ;  the  other,  I  have  put  down  to 
make  you  cry ;  for,  if  an  author  may  judge  his  own  works,  it  is 
by  far  the  most  sublime  and  pathetic  I  ever  wrote.  But  I  must 
disclose  the  occasion  of  such  a  daring  effort.  On  the  afternoon 
preceding  the  evening  of  a  ball,  a  lady  of  my  acquaintance  trod 
upon  some  sharp  tool  and  cut  her  foot.  On  this,  my  Muse,  who 
had  slept  some  years,  broke  out,  "  like  an  Irish  rebellion,"  when 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  153 

nobody  expected  it,  and  produced  the  following,  which  in  point 
of  sentiment  and  language,  I  know  you  will  think  equal  to  any 
thing  in  Homer ! !  Here  it  is,  read  it. 

Rust  seize  the  axe,  the  hoe,  or  spade, 
Which  in  your  foot  this  gash  has  made ! 
Which  cut  thro'  kid  and  silk  and  skin, 
To  spill  the  blood  that  was  within ; 
By  which  you're  forced  to  creep  and  crawl, 
Nor  frisk  and  frolic  at  the  bah1 ! 

But  Clara,  Clara !  were  thy  heart 
As  tender  as  thy  pedal  part ; 
From  thy  sweet  lips  did  love  but  flow, 
Swift  as  blood  gushes  from  thy  toe, 
So  many  beaus  would  not  complain 
That  all  their  bows  and  vows  are  vain ! 

There,  Merrill,  is  not  this  Homerican  ?     Adieu ! 

D.  WEBSTER. 

I  have  not  space  here  to  put  down  all  I  hear  of  the  popularity 
of  a  certain  friend  of  mine,  nor  how  he  becomes  a  tutor  without 
ceasing  to  be  a  gentleman,  a  sight  I  would  give  more  to  behold 
than  to  see  the  transit  of  Venus. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  December  23,  1803. 

DEAR  HERVEY,  —  I  cannot  say  that  your  last  arrived  as  soon 
as  I  looked  for  it ;  for  1  am  always  looking  for  your  letters ; 
but  I  had  it  as  soon  as  I  had  a  right  to  expect  it.  Frequent 
letters  are  not,  perhaps,  absolutely  essential  to  friendship ;  but 
they  are  the  best  and  most  natural  consequence  of  it.  You 
and  I  should  certainly  be  always  friends,  if  we  never  wrote 
another  syllable  to  each  other;  but  we  should  be  friends  to 
little  purpose,  if  we  never  mutually  contributed  any  thing  to 
soften  care  and  cheer  the  heart.  Your  letters  have  become  a 


154  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

settled  portion  of  my  happiness ;  the  force  of  habit  is  added  to 
the  force  of  esteem,  and  if  you  should  intermit  writing  for  a 
long  time,  there  would  be  a  kind  of  vacuum  in  my  pleasures 
that  I  could  not  handily  fill  with  any  thing  else. 

I  verily  believe  you  had  a  jaunt  in  getting  home,  and  was 
really  alarmed  for  you,  when  you  gave  the  description  of  your 
dangers  among  the  rocks  and  hills  of  Warner  and  Boscawen ; 
but  I  recollected  that  you  were  snug  by  the  office  fire,  and, 
though  the  rocks  might  tumble,  you  were  safe.  Your  patience, 
I  trust,  was  as  long  as  the  road,  and  Enos's  colt  I  believe  to  be 
a  match  for  all  the  hills  between  this  and  "  No.  4."  As  to  the 
"  amusement  and  information  which  you  found  at  Salisbury," 
you  speak  very  complaisantly.  You  learned,  perhaps,  a  little 
in  the  shooting  way,  and  you  heard  an  elegant  strain  of  music, 
of  a  fine  morning,  from  the  top  of  a  tree,  and  played  some 
backgammon  with  Phebe ;  these  are,  I  believe,  all  the  items  of 
your  "instruction  and  amusement,"  and  they  do  not  form  a 
very  long  list.  But  whatever  pleasure  you  received,  you  cer 
tainly  conferred  much.  The  squirrels  chipper  now  undisturbed, 
and  I  shall  suffer  none  to  trespass  on  our  ground  till  you  come 
again. 

I  have  had  a  letter  from  Fuller,  and  one  from  Freeborn.  The 
former  can't  help  saying  a  little  about  the  girls,  and  after  prais 
ing  them  very  judiciously,  concludes  by  saying  he  sees  them 
very  seldom.  You  and  I  make  no  such  pretensions  to  philos 
ophy.  If  I  could  be  more  among  good  girls  than  I  can,  I 
should  certainly  avail  myself  of  the  opportunity.  I  consider 
such  company  the  school  of  refinement,  and  quite  necessary  to 
prevent  those  roughnesses  of  temper  and  manners  that  a  clouted 
student  and  a  man  absorbed  in  business  are  certain  to  contract 
It  is  not  he  who  spends  most  hours  over  his  books  that  is  the 
most  successful  student.  It  is  impossible  to  keep  the  mind  on 
the  stretch  forever ;  it  will  sometimes  relax ;  and  though  we 
may  keep  our  eyes  on  our  books,  it  will  steal  away  to  easier 
contemplations,  and  we  may  run  over  pages  without  receiv 
ing  an  idea.  I  know  this  is  the  case  with  myself,  and  believe 
it  is  with  others.  The  true  science  of  life  is  to  mingle  amuse 
ment  and  business,  so  as  to  make  the  most  of  time.  "  Every 
man,"  says  Johnson,  "  must  sometimes  trifle ;  and  the  only  ques 
tion  is,  whether  he  shall  do  it  alone  or  in  company ; "  whether 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  155 

he  shall  waste  his  hours  in  solitary  visions  and  drowsy  contem 
plations,  or,  mingling  in  society,  partake  of  that  cheerfulness 
and  joy  that  give  new  energy  to  the  mind,  and  promise  to 
reward  exertion  with  new  success.  Here  is  the  end  of  my  ser 
mon.  Freeborn  has  gone  to  the  South,  I  know  not  how  far. 

Zeke  is  at  Sanbornton.  He  comes  home  once  in  a  while,  sits 
down  before  the  kitchen  fire,  begins  to  poke  and  rattle  the  and 
irons  ;  I  know  what  is  coming,  and  am  mute.  At  length  he 
puts  his  feet  into  the  oven's  mouth,  places  his  right  eyebrow  up 
on  his  forehead,  and  begins  a  very  pathetic  lecture  on  the  evils 
of  poverty.  It  is  like  church  service ;  he  does  all  the  talking, 
and  I  only  say,  "  Amen,  amen." 

Your  little  sister's  death,  I  hope  you  consider  as  you  ought. 
I  have  no  great  opinion  of  the  goodness  of  that  heart,  on  which 
such  things  make  no  impression.  Innocent  little  thing!  thou 
hast  been  a  stranger  to  guilt,  and  therefore  art  such  to  grief. 
Sweet  be  thy  rest !  'tis  the  repose  of  innocence.  Respected  be 
thy  memory !  for  thou  wert  the  sister  of  my  friend. 

Give  my  love  to  "  our  folks,"  and  believe  me,  dear  Bingham, 

Yours,  affectionately, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


A    FRAGMENT.1 

HAIL,  Poesy !  thou  nymph  of  every  grace  ! 
In  form  unrivalled,  of  angelic  face ! 
Far  brighter  beauties  on  thy  brow  appear, 
Than  Thomson  found  to  deck  the  rolling  year ; 
More  dulcet  nectar  gathers  on  thy  lip, 
Than  Virgil's  Gods  of  old  were  wont  to  sip. 
Who  can  resist  thine  all-subduing  charms  ? 
Heaven  in  thy  smiles,  Elysium  in  thine  arms ! 
But  hold,  Encomium,  while  the  bard  shall  trace 
The  nymph's  descent  from  some  illustrious  race, 
To  what  great  sire  her  lineage  shall  he  follow? 
Say,  who  begat  her,  Denham,  Wash,  or  Waller  ? 

1  The  original  of  this,  in  Mr.  "Webster's  handwriting,  is  believed  by  Thomas 
Porter,  Esq.,  who  furnished  it,  and  who  was  graduated  in  1803,  to  have  been 
written  while  Mr.  Webster  was  in  college. 


156  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Whom  does  she  call  her  father,  Smith  or  Broom, 
Yalden  or  Dryden,  King  or  Sprat,  or  whom  ? 
A  dubious  case !     Old  Johnson,  critic  sage, 
Says  she  was  born  in  many  a  different  age, 
That  Chaucer  first  produced  her  to  the  light, 
Next  solemn  Milton,  ere  he  lost  his  sight, 
From  ravished  Genius  gave  the  damsel  birth, 
Who  grew  from  him,  like  giants  from  the  earth : 
Decrepit  Pope,  for  one  poor  weak  embrace, 
Is  called  the  sire  of  that  immortal  race, 
Whose  poetry  now  thunders  round  the  ball, 
And  tells  how  heroes  or  how  sparrows  fall, 
Princes  or  parrots  meet  some  dire  mischance, 
Ladies  lose  hearts  or  garters  at  a  dance. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    DAVIS. 

Boston,  January  18,  1804. 

MY  FRIEND,  —  You  have  been  too  long  a  citizen  of  this 
world  to  expect  permanency  in  any  of  its  enjoyments.  Untried, 
as  you  may  be,  in  the  school  of  affliction,  and  few  and  light  as 
have  been  your  misfortunes,  compared  with  those  of  others, 
you  must  yet  have  seen,  what  every  one  sooner  or  later  is  com 
pelled  to  see,  that  he  who  would  raise  a  column  of  durable 
happiness,  must  not  lay  its  foundation  in  the  earth.  Of  all 
calamities,  the  loss  of  friends  impresses  us  most  solemnly,  be 
cause  it  is  irretrievable.  Ruined  fortunes  may  be  repaired; 
reputation,  unjustly  ravished,  may  be  restored ;  enfeebled  health 
may  be  renovated.  But  what  shall  repair  the  ruins  of  the 
grave  ?  What  shall  restore  the  breathless  object  of  former  affec 
tion  ?  What  shall  renovate  the  slumberer  beneath  the  clods  of 
the  valley  ?  At  this  moment  I  know  you  are  lamenting  the 
loss  of  an  excellent  woman  whom  you  loved  as  a  parent,  and 
whom  all  justly  loved  for  the  surpassing  benevolence  of  her 
heart,  and  the  sterling  goodness  of  her  character. 

During  my  residence  at  Hanover,  I  had  more  than  one  oppor 
tunity  of  witnessing  the  unwearied  kindness  and  attention  of 
Mrs.  Fuller  to  the  sick  and  the  necessitous.  I  have  seen  the 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  157 

aspect  of  disease  brighten  at  her  approach,  and  sorrow  and 
anguish  banished  by  her  kind  and  tender  solicitude.  I  have 
seen  her  house  and  her  heart  open  to  receive  friendless  strangers, 
and  to  soothe  and  comfort  the  sick  and  the  forlorn. 

Yet,  however  useful,  human  life  must  end.  Though  crowded 
with  virtues,  its  date  is  momentary;  though  all  be  done  that 
can  be  done,  how  little  is  the  amount!  It  is  the  tenure  by 
which  we  hold  all  our  friends,  that  when  He  calls,  whose  right 
to  them  is  greater  than  ours,  we  must  give  them  up.  It  is  the 
part  of  wisdom  to  think,  often  and  seriously,  on  the  title  to  the 
good  things  we  enjoy;  and  first  and  chiefly,  to  be  anxious  of 
placing  our  happiness  where  vicissitudes  cannot  change,  nor 
accident  destroy  it.  Low,  and  cold,  and  silent  as  your  parent 
now  is,  must  you,  and  I,  and  all  our  friends  be.  Happy,  then, 
if  we  shall  deserve  to  have  shed  on  our  graves  the  tears  that 
bedew  hers.  I  know  nothing  so  mortifying  to  the  vanity  of  the 
heart  as  the  reflection,  that  we  must  one  day  depart,  without 
having  our  absence  felt  beyond  the  circle  of  a  small  acquaint 
ance.  Yes,  it  is  a  truth,  more  solemn  than  the  language  it  is 
conveyed  in,  that  when 


This  busy  world  will  still  jog  on ; 
Will  sing,  and  dance,  and  be  as  hearty 
As  if  we  still  were  of  the  party." 

Well  and  wisely  is  it  ordained  that  men  shall  see  their  own 
presumptuous  folly  in  the  fate  of  others.  Good  or  great  char 
acters  decease,  are  lamented,  and  in  a  few  brief  moments  for 
gotten. 

Who,  then,  shall  be  mad  enough  to  think  himself  of  conse 
quence  ? 

"  Rebuking  Heaven  ne'er  called  with  louder  voice, 
On  swelling  mortals  to  be  proud  no  more." 

Adieu,  my  good  friend, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

VOL.  i.  14 


158  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    DAVIS. 

Salisbury,  February  5,  1 804. 

DEAR  SIR, —  A  part  of  a  cold  Sunday  shall  be  employed  in 
writing  to  you.  Prevented  by  the  weather  from  manifesting 
my  devotion  at  church,  I  will  manifest  my  friendship. 

It  was  the  hope  of  indemnification  that  induced  me  to  write 
to  you,  and  as  long  as  that  hope  continues,  I  shall  be  punctual. 
There  is  nothing  which  gives  me  more  pleasure  than  a  sociable 
family  letter,  filled  up  with  those  thoughts  which  swim  on  the 
surface  of  the  mind.  Such  letters  savor  of  conversation,  and 
are  a  tolerably  good  substitute  for  it.  But  I  did  not  intend 
here  to  give  a  lecture  on  letter-writing. 

I  went  to  Concord  a  few  days  since,  just  to  see  Sophia  and 
get  my  cheats,  &c.,  &c. ;  and  so  I  was  really  cheated.  She 
had  taken  the  liberty  to  go  home.  Well,  tell  her  not  to  hurry 
in  making  my  flamadlddles.  I  shall  not  want  them  till  Com 
mencement.  I  have  chatted  with  my  brother  about  the  mat 
ters  and  things  which  you  mentioned  to  me.  If  he  goes  on 
again,  he  will  probably  accommodate  you  with  any  attentions 
in  his  power  to  bestow.  But  it  is  uncertain  whether  he  ever 
summers  among  you  again.  This  is  told  you  in  confidence. 
I  pray  you  not  to  mention  it  to  any  person.  If  it  be  of  any 
importance  to  you  to  know,  I  will  inform  you  shortly  of  his 
going,  or  not  going  again  to  Hanover,  with  certainty. 

Cold  fingers,  you  know,  make  short  letters. 

Adieu. 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     No  progress  in  electioneering  as  yet.     I  believe  they 
at  Portsmouth  begin  to  stir.     Those  folks,  you  know,  "  are  ver 
busy,  all  alive."     The  Federalists,  as  their  manner  is,  sit  stil 
and  sigh  at  the  depravity  of  the  times.     But  sighs,  and  teai 
and  broken  hearts  are  not  worth  a  biscuit ;  they  cannot  get 
vote.     Colonel  K.  will  probably  be  candidate  for  senator  in  this 
district  against  Esquire  Bradley.     The  prospect  is  that  a  good 
democrat  will  be  chosen.     In  Concord,  J.  Green,  Esq.,  is  men 
tioned  as  Kent's  successor  as  representative. 

I  believe  I  mentioned  to  you  that  I  have  had  a  notion  of 


DANIEL   WEBSTER,  159 

making  a  communication  to  Miss  Hough  on  the  subject  of  L.'s 
property  in  the  office  at  Concord.  I  should  have  done  it  before 
now  were  it  not  for  the  fear  of  saying  something  which  might 
possibly  injure  the  feelings  of  Mrs.  K.  and  her  friends.  If  it 
were  practicable  to  go  clear  of  that,  I  believe  it  would  do  good 
to  have  the  thing  known.  I  expect  you  will  write  me  by  the 
bearer,  whether  such  a  thing  would  not,  in  your  opinion,  be 
advisable.  Pray  let  me  hear  from  you  and  of  the  health  of 
Mrs.  Davis,  as  I  understand  she  left  Concord  unwell.  If  you 
follow  my  example  in  making  a  short  letter,  pray  follow  it  also 
in  adding  a  long  postcript. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  March  16,  1804. 

GOOD  OLD  COMPANION, — I  have  a  thousand  things  which  are 
secrets,  and  as  many  which  are  no  secrets,  to  say  to  you  in  this 
letter.  I  hardly  know  where  to  begin,  for  there  is  such  a  struggle 
in  my  brain  as  to  what  shall  be  said  first,  that  likely  enough  I 
may  run  over  two  pages  before  I  say  any  thing. 

Yours  of  22d  February,  was  received  March  12.  "  Hope  de 
ferred  maketh  the  heart  sick."  I  pray  you  never  to  delay  writing 
so  long  again  for  any  event ;  for  even  one  so  important  as  the 
commencement  of  your  labors  as  a  lawyer,  hardly  atones  for  so 
long  waiting. 

By  this  time  you  have  decided  where  you  intend  to  advertise 
writ  making ;  let  me  know  about  it  directly. 

Several  gentlemen  of  the  profession  have  mentioned  to  me 
two  or  three  towns,  in  Cheshire  county,  where  an  industrious 
young  man  might  probably  make  a  moderate  living.  Washing 
ton,  Westmoreland,  and  Chesterfield  have  been  named.  As  to 
the  first,  if  you  settle  at  Lempster,  as  I  suppose  you  will,  it  will 
be  too  near  to  you  ;  so  let  that  go.  The  other  two  I  wish  you 
to  write  me  about  as  particularly  as  you  can.  I  know  I  am  in 
great  season,  as  I  have  a  year  longer  to  read,  but  there  are  some 
other  reasons,  which  induce  me  to  wish  to  know  generally  what 
part  of  the  country  I  shall  inhabit.  It  is  more  than  probable  that 
I  shall  be  leaving  this  place  in  April  or  May.  If  I  could  think 


160  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

it  likely  that  I  should  hereafter  find  a  resting-place  at  some 
town  in  Cheshire,  I  should  be  fond  of  reading  in  that  quarter  a 
while.  Now,  you  know,  if  I  could  have  my  wish,  I  should  be 
as  fond  of  being  in  Mr.  West's  office  as  anywhere.  Silence ! 
Don't  whisper  a  word ;  don't  ever  think  aloud ;  but  ponder 
these  matters  a  little  at  the  bottom  of  your  heart,  and  write 
me.  Inquire  if  any  charitable  clever  fellow  at  Charlestown 
would  keep  me,  and  get  his  pay  when  he  could.  Utter  not  a 
word  for  the  soul  of  you ;  but  let  me  hear  from  you  forthwith. 

So,  by  the  help  of  a  little  good  testimony,  you  came  off  vic 
torious  in  your  first  attempt.  Well,  that  is  a  good  omen ;  go  on 
as  you  have  begun,  always,  unless  when  your  client's  cause  is 
an  unjust  one. 

I  was  lately  in  Concord,  where  I  heard  of  our  friend  Mary. 
I  shall  not  put  down  here  all  the  civil  things  that  were  said  of 
her,  because,  you  know,  I  should  make  a  bad  figure  in  reciting 
compliments.  My  brother  Zeke  has  made  his  bow,  by  letter, 
to  President  Wheelock,  and  gone  to  Boston.  He  has  there 
taken  a  school,  which  I  engaged  for  him  in  January,  for  you 
must  know  I  have  been  at  Boston  since  I  last  wrote  you,  and 
has  the  prospect  of  making  something  a  little  decent.  Merrill 
was  this  way  at  the  close  of  the  last  term.  He  is  quite  a  beau 
for  a  tutor. 

Whitaker  has  opened  his  office  in  Providence.  Fuller  wrote 
me  about  two  months  ago ;  he  will  probably  settle  in  Augusta. 

As  the  last  dull  paragraph  to  a  very  dull  letter  I  will  tell  you, 
that  I  have  been  out  of  health  for  some  weeks,  that  writing  is 
very  uneasy  to  me,  and  that  this  is,  I  believe,  the  only  letter  of 
friendship,  which  I  have  undertaken  to  write  these  two  months. 

Sick  or  well,  however,  I  am  not  the  less  your  friend,    • 

D.  W. 

Write  me  forthwith. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 


Salisbury,  March  16.  1804. 

YES,  Merrill,  a  comparative  estimate  of  the  pleasures  of  am 
bition  and  of  friendship  will  set  the  latter  in  an  enviable  view. 
Fame,  if  obtained  at  all,  costs  much.  The  pursuer  after  this 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  161 

ever  flying  goddess  must  climb  over  cliff  and  hill, "  o'er  many  a 
frozen,  many  a  fiery  alp."  Men  are  inclined  to  throw  every 
thing  in  his  way,  and  he  must  therefore  prepare  to  counteract 
everything.  Men's  passions  may  be  split,  like  the  earth,  into 
zones,  and  in  every  region  the  ardent  follower  of  fame  will  find 
obstacles.  First,  there  is  that  cold,  arctic  indifference  that  will 
not  take  the  trouble  to  admire  or  applaud  anybody,  or  any 
thing ;  next,  there  is  temperate  reserve,  prudence,  discretion,  or 
whatever  you  call  it,  that  dares  not  praise,  lest  the  object  of  its 
praise,  by  some  possibility,  be  unworthy ;  and  last,  and  worst 
of  all,  come  the  torrid  heats  of  resentment,  rivalry,  emulation, 
and  opposition.  But  suppose  your  candidate  for  the  caresses 
of  Madam  Fame  survive  all  this ;  suppose  he  pursue  unremit 
tingly  the  object  of  his  love  through  "  antres  vast  and  deserts 
idle,"  through  every  difficulty,  and  over  every  obstacle,  till  at 
last  he  overtakes  her  ladyship,  and  is  permitted  to  kiss  the  hem 
of  her  garment  on  Mount  Immortality,  what  will  the  dear-bought 
damsel  boot  him  ?  If  he  take  her  to  his  bosom,  she  has  no  flesh 
and  blood  to  warm  it ;  if  he  search  her  pocket,  he  finds  nothing 
but  poverty ;  if  he  taste  of  her  lip,  there  is  no  more  nectar  in  it 
than  there  are  sunbeams  in  a  cucumber  ;  every  rascal  who  has 
been  bold  and  fearless  enough,  Nimrod,  Catiline,  Cromwell,  and 
Tom  Paine,  all  those  have  had  a  smack  at  her  before  him ; 
they  have  all,  "more  or  less,"  become  famous,  and  will  be 
remembered  much  longer  than  better  men. 

Yet,  Merrill,  you  and  I  have  some  ambition ;  so  has,  or  so 
ought  to  have,  every  one.  So  much  ambition  as  shall  prompt 
to  laudable  exertion  and  industry ;  so  much  as  is  weU  consistent 
with  the  duties  and  the  honest  pleasures  of  life ;  as  induces  a 
wish  to  make  ourselves  respected  by  our  friends  and  not  entirely 
despised  by  our  enemies  ;  and  on  the  score  of  property,  so  much 
ambition  as  instigates  to  the  acquirement  of  a  decent,  compe 
tent  estate,  enabling  us  to  treat  our  friends  as  they  deserve,  and 
to  live  free  from  embarrassment;  this  degree  of  ambition  is 
rational  and  necessary. 

Mr.  Noyes  handed  me  your  letter  written  at  Newburyport, 
which  was  cordially  received,  as  any  thing  of  the  kind  from  you 
always  will  be.  You  must  have  seen  Miss  Thompson  at  New 
buryport,  because  she  mentions  you  in  some  of  her  letters  to  her 
friends  here.  She  is  one  of  our  sort  of  girls  exactly.  You  must 
14* 


162  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

have  been  pleased  with  Miss  T.'s  countenance,  and,  take  my 
word  for  it,  the  whole  volume,  as  far  as  I  have  perused  it,  is 
equally  fair  as  the  title-page. 

When  you  have  an  opportunity,  if  you  please,  you  may  men 
tion  my  esteem  as  a  friend  to  M.  W.  and  N.  R.  Write  me 
when  you  have  leisure,  which  I  hope  you  will  find  directly. 

Yours  in  all  sincerity, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

N.  B.  My  brother  has  taken  up  his  residence  in  Boston. 
He  bids  me  mention  his  respects  to  you  as  a  private  gentleman 
and  as  an  officer  of  college. 

I  was  within  half  a  dozen  miles  of  you  about  20th  of  Janu 
ary,  but  did  not  know  it  till  afterward. 

If  you  write  Tenney,  give  him  my  compliments. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

P.  S.  The  top  of  a  letter  is  a  new  place  for  a  postscript ; 
excuse  it,  for  its  design  is  to  beg  you  to  give  my  love  to  your 
and  my  friends  P.  and  E. 

Salisbury,  April  3,  1804. 

GOOD  HERVEY, — I  am  really  much  obliged  by  your  ready 
attention  to  my  requests ;  as  also  by  your  saying,  that  as  Mr. 
West  leaves  the  matter  with  you,  I  "  may  venture  to  jog  on." 
Captain  Enos  is  precisely  the  man  for  me ;  if  ever  I  eat  bread 
at  "  No.  4,"  it  will  be  at  his  table.  The  distance  from  the  office 
is  not  too  great  in  dry  weather,  and  in  wet  times  one  has 
nothing  to  do  in  Charlestown,  but  just  to  step  "  the  other  side 
of  the  street." 

I  am  now  going,  James,  to  give  you  a  full  survey  of  the 
"  whole  ground,"  as  it  respects  my  prospects,  hopes,  and  wishes. 
The  great  object  of  a  lawyer  is  business ;  but  this  is  not,  or 
ought  not  to  be,  his  sole  object.  Pleasant  society,  an  agreeable 
acquaintance,  and  a  degree  of  respectability,  not  merely  as  a 
lawyer,  but  as  a  man,  are  other  objects  of  importance.  You 
and  I  commenced  the  study,  you  know,  with  a  resolution  which 
we  did  not  say  much  about,  of  being  honest  and  conscientious 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  163 

practitioners.  Some  part  of  this  resolution  is,  I  hope,  still 
hanging  about  me,  and  for  this  reason  I  choose  to  settle  in  a 
place  where  the  practice  of  the  bar  is  fair  and  honorable.  The 
Cheshire  bar,  as  far  as  I  have  learned,  is  entitled  to  a  preference 
in  these  respects  over  that  of  any  county  in  the  State.  You 
know  my  partiality  for  Connecticut  River  folks  generally.  Their 
information  and  habits  are  far  better,  in  my  opinion,  than  those 
of  the  people  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  These  reasons 
compel  me  to  say  with  you,  "  it  is  a  goodly  land,"  and  to  make 
it  my  wish  to  settle  therein. 

E  contra.  Many  of  my  friends  are  desirous  that  I  should 
make  an  attempt  to  live  in  Portsmouth.  Mr.  Thompson,  my 
good  master,  knows  every  thing  about  the  comparative  advan 
tages  of  different  places,  everywhere  in  New  Hampshire,  except 
Cheshire  county.  He  has  frequently  suggested  to  me,  that 
Portsmouth  would  be  a  good  place  for  a  young  man,  and  the 
other  evening  when  I  hinted  my  inclination  for  Cheshire,  he 
said  he  had  a  high  esteem  for  the  people  that  way,  but  added 
that  he  still  wished  me  to  consider  Portsmouth.  He  says  there 
are  many  gentlemen  of  character  there,  who  would  patronize  a 
young  lawyer,  and  thinks  that  even  Mr.  Attorney- General 
would  be  fond  of  the  thing. 

Mr.  T.  will  have  business,  on  which  I  shah1  be  at  Portsmouth 
as  soon  as  the  roads  are  passable,  and  out  of  respect  to  his 
opinion,  I  shall  make  no  certain  arrangements  for  my  future 
reading  till  that  time.  At  present,  I  do  not  feel  that  Portsmouth 
is  the  place  for  me. 

In  the  way  of  study,  my  present  pursuit  is  some  little  knowl 
edge  of  pleading.  I  am  reading  what  Bacon  has  collected  on 
that  subject,  and  yesterday,  you  will  hardly  believe  me,  I  trav 
elled  through  a  case  in  Saunders  of  eight  Latin  pages.  Saun- 
ders  inserts  all  the  pleas,  and  abridges  the  arguments  of  counsel ; 
he  is  therefore,  I  take  it,  very  useful  to  those  who,  like  myself, 
are  a  good  deal  ignorant  of  the  forms  of  pleading.  I  mean  to 
lay  my  hands  heavily  upon  him,  and  in  one  month  I  hope  to  be 
able  to  give  some  account  of  him.  The  winter  has  passed  away 
more  pleasantly  than  any  I  ever  before  passed  at  Salisbury,  as 
far,  I  mean,  as  my  health,  which  has  not  been  the  best,  would 
suffer  it  to  be  pleasant.  Mr.  T.'s  sisters  have  been  in  this  realm, 
and  being  very  excellent  folks,  added  much  to  what  was  before 


164  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

very  small  society  in  Salisbury.  Miss  Poor  is  in  town,  yet  it 
would  please  her  vastly  if  you  would  just  call  and  play  a  game 
at  backgammon  with  her  again.  She  says  I  unreasonably 
monopolized  your  company  last  fall,  at  the  expense  of  the  folks 
in  the  house.  I  told  you  how  all  that  matter  was  and  would 
be ;  I  don't  see  how  I  can  live  any  longer  without  having  a 
friend  near  me,  I  mean  a  male  friend,  just  such  a  friend  as  one 
J.  H.  B.  Yes,  James,  I  must  come ;  we  will  yoke  together  again  ; 
your  little  bed  is  just  wide  enough ;  we  will  practise  at  the  same 
bar,  and  be  as  friendly  a  pair  of  single  fellows  as  ever  cracked  a 
nut.  We  perhaps  shall  never  be  rich ;  no  matter,  we  can  supply 
our  own  personal  necessities.  By  the  time  we  are  thirty,  we  will 
put  on  the  dress  of  old  bachelors,  a  mourning  suit,  and  having 
sown  all  our  wild  oats,  with  a  round  hat  and  a  hickory  staff  we 
will  march  on  to  the  end  of  life,  whistling  as  merry  as  robins, 
and  I  hope  as  innocent.  Good-bye  to  this  nonsense,  and,  by 
way  of  contrast,  good-bye  to  you.  D.  W. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  April  4,  1804. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — I  most  readily  concur  in  the  opinion  that  the 
present  scene  of  your  life  as  well  as  my  own,  is  marked  with 
"  dark  traces  and  heavy  shades."  The  map  of  human  life  is 
checkered  with  misfortunes  and  disappointments.  A  continual 
sunshine  of  prosperity  does  not  accompany  man  in  his  transit 
from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.  Penumbral  shadows  of  doubt, 
perplexity,  and  anxious  care  mark  the  pathway  of  the  most  for 
tunate  through  the  course  of  life;  and  often  the  moment  of 
greatest  obscuration  is  the  very  period  when  he  is  about  to  enter 
upon  a  new  profession.  Yet,  at  solemn  and  distant  intervals, 
a  ray  breaks  through  this  gloom  and  opens  to  the  imagination  a 
vista  of  better  times.  Let  this  ray  cheer  and  console  us.  It  is 
a  sweet  delusion.  I  am  glad  that  you  feel  no  "  depression  of 
spirits."  I  cannot  see  any  reason  for  an  indulgence  of  melan 
choly,  though  there  appears  abundant  cause.  Fortune  is  a  mis 
tress  not  to  be  melted  into  pity  by  the  plaintive  lamentations  of 
her  stricken  votary.  Persevering  enterprise  alone  withstands 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  165 

her  frowns.  Agreeably  to  your  injunction,  I  have  thought  and 
meditated  upon  your  letter,  for  three  days,  and  for  no  inconsider 
able  portion  of  three  nights,  and  I  now  give  you  the  result  as 
freely  as  I  earnestly  wish  your  welfare.  I  am  directly  opposed 
to  your  going  to  New  York ;  and  for  several  reasons.  First, 
the  expensiveness  of  a  journey  to  that  city,  and  of  a  residence  in 
it,  is  with  me  a  material  objection.  Secondly,  the  embarrass 
ments  to  which  you  will  be  liable,  without  friends  to  assist  or 
patronage  to  support  you.  Thirdly,  I  fear  the  climate  would 
be  injurious  to  your  constitution.  I  have  now  told  you  what  I 
would  not  have  you  do,  and  I  also  tell  you  what  I  wish  you  to  do. 
I  would  have  you  decamp  immediately  with  all  your  baggage, 
from  Salisbury,  and  march  directly  to  this  place.  This  is  the 
opinion  I  have  maturely  formed  for  which  a  thousand  reasons 
might  be  urged.  They  are  too  numerous  to  be  mentioned,  nor 
is  it  perhaps  necessary,  for  I  say  to  you  imperatively,  "  come." 
It  is  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  for  a  fellow  of  any  enterprise 
or  ability  to  support  himself  here,  very  handsomely,  without 
descending  to  any  business  incompatible  with  the  situation  of  a 
gentleman.  Here,  too,  is  the  focus  of  information.  Any  per 
son,  however  stupid  and  inefficient,  cannot  but  learn  something. 
With  a  head  ever  so  impenetrable,  some  ideas  will  penetrate  it. 
I  will  state  to  you  a  single  circumstance  which,  I  think,  will 
remove  all  doubt  about  paying  your  way.  I  have  now  eight 
scholars,  in  Latin  and  Greek,  whom  I  shall  be  obliged  to  dismiss 
if  I  cannot  have  an  assistant,  and  I  dare  not,  at  present,  hire  one. 
The  tuition  of  these  eight  scholars  will  pay  for  your  board.  They 
recite  twice  in  a  day,  and  it  will  take  you  about  three  fourths  of 
an  hour  to  hear  them,  each  time.  Here,  then,  you  can  support 
yourself  by  the  labor  of  one  hour  and  a  half  each  day.  If  you 
will  spend  that  time  in  my  school  daily,  I  will  board  you  at  as 
genteel  a  boarding-house  as  you  can  wish  or  the  place  affords. 
Consult  father,  the  family,  and  your  friends,  and  start  for  Boston 
the  next  day  after  the  receipt  of  this  letter.  Another  such  an 
opportunity  may  never  occur.  Come,  and  if  you  don't  find 
every  thing  to  your  liking,  I  will  carry  you  back  to  Salisbury, 
with  a  chaise  and  six,  and  pay  you  for  your  time.  I  must  say 
again,  consult  father ;  if  he  approves,  take  the  patriarchal  bless 
ing  and  come. 

I  am  as  usual,  &c., 

E.  WEBSTER. 


166  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

N.  B.     Be  careful  to  remember  those  books.     If  you  do  not 
come,  write  immediately. 

Remember  me  most  affectionately  to  the  family. 

E.  W 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Salisbury,  May  1,  1804. 

DEAR  MERRILL, — There  is  no  business  so  pressing,  and  no 
amusement  so  entertaining,  from  which  the  heart  will  not  some 
times  stray  away  to  repose  itself  in  the  contemplation  of  old 
and  undiminished  friendship.  I  sometimes  sit  down  to  my 
books,  transport  myself  to  the  court-house  in  London,  and  listen 
to  wise  judges  and  ingenious  lawyers.  But  ere  I  am  aware, 
thought  wings  itself  to  Hanover,  to  Charlestown,  or  the  resi 
dence  of  some  other  friend,  and  I  awake  from  the  pleasant  little 
vision,  scarcely  knowing  where  I  left  off  in  the  lawyer's  argument, 
or  his  Lordship's  charge.  A  little  business,  which  I  shall  men 
tion  anon,  affords  me  a  pretty  fair  excuse  for  writing  you  at  this 
time.  I  am  glad  it  is  so.  I  am  happy  in  the  opportunity  of 
spending,  I  mean  of  enjoying,  a  half  hour  with  Merrill.  What 
is  this  world  worth  without  the  enjoyment  of  friendship,  and  the 
cultivation  of  the  social  feelings  of  the  heart  ?  For  a  life  con 
sumed  in  money-seeking,  fame-seeking,  and  noise-making,  I 
would  not  give  more  than  eighteen  pence,  which  is  seventeen 
pence  halfpenny,  one  farthing  more  than  it  is  worth. 

O,  Thomas,  Thomas !  I  wish  I  could  see  you.  Since  I  last 
pressed  your  hand,  my  life  has  abounded  in  some  incidents 
which  I  could  magnify  into  matters  of  mighty  little  consequence. 
Poh !  poh !  What  trumpery !  How  microscopical  is  self-love  ! 
It  makes  us  think  that  trifles,  light  as  air,  affect  our  friends  be 
cause  they  affect  us,  or,  to  speak  metaphorically,  it  swells  a  little 
piece  of  salt  not  bigger  than  a  chestnut,  into  an  immense  moun 
tain  forty-five  miles  long.  My  heart  is  now  so  full  of  matters 
and  things  impatient  to  be  whispered  into  the  ear  of  a  trusty 
friend,  that  I  think  I  could  pour  them  into  yours  till  it  ran  over. 
But  perhaps  if  we  were  to  meet  this  hour,  I  should  not  be  able 
to  make  out  one  sentence  of  any  consequence.  I  have  often 
been  caught  so,  and  have  been  so  much  mortified,  that  all  my 


DANIEL    WEBSTER.  167 

boasted  sources  of  conversation  could  hardly  be  formed  into  a 
paragraph  long  enough  for  the  use  of  two  commas  and  a  semi 
colon. 

I  desire  most  earnestly  to  hear  from  you,  to  hear  directly  from 
your  heart  and  your  heart's  concerns.  Pray  how  do  you  feel  in 
and  about  the  heart  ?  And  how  does  it  feel  about  the  heart  of 
?  Well,  pardon  me ;  I  am  apt  to  put  impertinent  inquir 
ies  ;  but  they  allow  you  an  opportunity  of  exercising  your  virtue 
in  forgiving ;  a  good  trade,  and  which  you  will  never  find  oppor 
tunity  to  leave  off,  so  long  as  your  acquaintance  with  me  con 
tinues.  Pray  tell  me  all  that  may  be  told. 

Now,  business.  We  are  informed  that  a  new  statute  of  the 
corporation  of  the  college  has  ordained  that  a  student  forfeits 
his  connection  with  college,  by  an  absence  of  so  long  a  time ; 
how  long  a  time,  and  what  is  the  whole  account  of  the  busi 
ness? 

These  inquiries,  as  you  will  guess,  are  on  account  of  my 
brother.  I  wish  to  know  whether  it  is  probable  he  can  be  grad 
uated  with  his  class.  I  believe  he  wrote  the  President  and 
asked  him  that  question,  but  I  do  not  learn  that  he  ever  has  re 
ceived  an  answer.  If  the  President  forgets  to  give  himself  the 
trouble  to  answer  him,  he  will  expect  me  to  get  him  the  infor 
mation  some  other  way.  You  can  if  you  will,  and  you  will  if 
you  can,  tell  me  all  I  want  to  know  about  the  college  laws  in 
this  respect.  I  should  be  sorry  to  have  the  old  fellow  trudge  all 
the  way  from  Boston  to  Commencement  for  nought. 

I  look  forward  to  Cambridge  Commencement  as  the  time 
when  I  shall  see  you ;  perhaps  it  may  come  before,  and  when 
ever  it  does  come,  it  will  be  welcome. 

I  can  think  of  nobody  at  Hanover  to  whom  my  compliments 
would  be  worth  six  pence.     So  Merrill  must  keep  the  whole ; 
they  will  do  him  little  good,  but  they  will  cost  him  nothing. 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


168  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Salisbury,  May  5,  1804. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — Salisbury,  you  perceive,  as  yet  heads  my 
letters  ;  and  how  much  longer  it  may,  I  can  hardly  tell.  I  know 
it  is  much  better  for  me  to  be  absent,  and  I  am  zealously  labor 
ing  to  put  myself  into  a  new  situation.  If  I  recollect,  I  in 
formed  you  my  intention  was  to  depart,  as  soon  as  it  is  possible 
for  me  to  get  a  little  cash,  to  enable  me  to  rig  out ;  for  when  I 
leave  this  vale,  emphatically  a  "  vale  of  tears,"  I  am  determined 
to  be  under  no  obligations  to  anybody  in  the  neighborhood,  ex 
cept  those  of  gratitude  and  friendship.  I  never  heard  what  par 
ticular  substance  Archimedes  wished  his  desired  fulcrum  to  be, 
resting  on  which,  he  was  going  to  move  the  world ;  but  if  his 
design  had  been  to  move  every  thing  in  it,  he  would  have  wished 
it  cash  ;  of  all  things  of  a  perishable  nature,  it  is  worth  the  most. 
It  ever  did,  does  now,  and  ever  will,  constitute  the  real,  unavoid 
able  aristocracy  that  exists  and  must  exist  in  society.  I  had  an  ex 
pectation  of  putting  into  execution  a  plan  that  would  have  made 
me  able  to  see  you  immediately.  It  was  well  laid,  and  I  begged 
of  father  to  attend  to  it  last  week,  at  court,  but  he  forgot  it. 

I  shall  continue  to  scrape  round  me  and  let  you  hear  how  I 
speed.  John  Smith  has  left  college  ;  he  never  sent  me  any  word 
about  your  matters,  and  believes  I  have  not  heard  from  Hanover 
since  I  saw  you.  I  have  been  thinking  that  if  it  can  be  well 
dispensed  with,  you  would  choose  not  to  attend  Commencement. 
You  have  never  written  me  any  word  about  your  finances  at 
present ;  but  if  you  could  get  forty  or  fifty  dollars  in  the  course 
of  this  month,  you  had  better  transmit  it  to  me,  and  send  me 
on  to  Hanover  with  it,  to  intercede  with  his  excellency  about 
giving  a  degree  without  your  presence ;  and  to  secure  the  trifles 
you  have  there,  and  to  pay  the  aforesaid  forty  or  fifty  dollars 
to  your  creditors.  Father  has  sent  0000  to  Mr.  Lang,  and  I 
don't  believe  he  will ;  I  don't  honestly  see  how  he  can.  Let 
me  hear  from  you  what  you  think  in  respect  to  this  idea.  I 
should  abominate  to  look  over  your  shoulder,  in  Boston,  and 
see  you  break  a  seal  and  read :  "  Dear  Sir,  the  little  trifle  you 
owe  me,"  &c. 

You  see,  I  suppose,  the  accounts  of  our  governor  election  as 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  169 

readily  as  I  do.  If  all  the  votes  be  returned,  Oilman  will  creep 
in,  on  the  force  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  majority.  Pray 
write,  forthwith. 

Give  my  love  to  our  friends.  D.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  May  10,  1804. 

DANIEL,  —  I  received  yours  of  the  5th  instant,  and  agreeably 
to  your  request  shall  give  you  an  account  of  my  finances.  The 
report  will  not  be  very  elaborate ;  nor  shall  I  be  able  to  grace  the 
cadence  of  many  sentences  with  "  money  in  the  treasury."  You 
know  the  conditions  on  which  I  took  the  school.  The  tuition 
of  those  attending  the  then  present  quarter  was  to  be  given  to 
the  Doctor;  and,  as  luck  would  have  it,  not  his  sagacity,  I 
found  that  almost  all  the  quarters  had  expired,  and  were  then 
commencing  anew,  when  I  undertook  to  teach  the  school.  I 
would  not  mention  this  as  any  thing  against  the  Doctor ;  for 
he  certainly  treated  me  with  great  politeness.  It  is  mentioned 
only  as  it  proves  that  I  could  not  receive  much  money  until  I 
had  kept  two  quarters.  One  for  him  and  the  other  for  myself 
must  be  out  before  I  could  have  any  demands  for  money. 
This,  however,  is  not  the  case  with  all.  A  few  will  expire  in 
July.  Until  then  I  have  no  way  to  make  or  receive  a  cent  but 
by  admission.  This  is  not  a  very  abundant  source  of  supply. 
The  sum  is  only  two  dollars,  and  this  never  to  be  received  but 
once  for  any  one  scholar.  Once  admitted,  and  the  scholar  may 
stay  in  my  school  forever  and  for  aye,  without  paying  again  his 
entrance  money.  I  brought  a  few  dollars  from  home  with  me, 
you  know ;  but,  as  soon  as  I  got  into  town,  I  found  it  neces 
sary  to  new-habit  myself;  and,  following  your  advice,  I  was 
determined  to  contract  no  debts  while  my  money  continued. 
Thus,  dear  Daniel,  the  end  of  the  whole  matter  is  that  I  am 
able  to  send  you  neither  forty  dollars,  nor  twenty  dollars  at 
present.  However,  I  think  it  will  not  be  a  long  time  before  I 
can  say  I  owe  no  man  any  thing  but  "  love  and  gratitude."  I 
should  be  as  unwilling  as  yourself  to  have  you  read  over  my 
shoulder,  "  Pay  that  thou  owest."  Saving  debts  of  some  few 
VOL.  i.  15 


170  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

dollars,  I  owe  no  man  any  thing  at  Hanover  but  Mr.  Lang  and 
the  authority.  These  debts  are  large  enough  to  make  them 
respectable.  If  these  are  demanded,  they  will  be  demanded  in 
an  honorable  manner.  They  will  not  sell  them  to  a  friend,  nor 
will  they  "  tuck  you  by  the  arm "  at  every  corner  you  may 
chance  to  meet  them.  In  this  situation,  I  thought  and  do  still, 
it  was  best  for  you  to  come  into  town.  The  prospect  may 
brighten,  it  cannot  darken.  I  told  you,  in  my  last,  a  few  dollars 
would  be  a  pretty  thing  to  bring ;  because,  as  I  have  written 
above,  my  bills  wiU  not  become  due  till  July.  Pray,  write  often 
until  you  come,  and  let  me  know  every  thing  local.  Contra 
dictory  reports  reach  us  concerning  the  New  Hampshire  election. 
Give  me  some  account  of  it,  in  every  letter,  until  you  come. 
Old  South  continues  laboring  in  the  "  good  cause,"  sometimes 
nnder  one  signature  and  sometimes  under  another.  Like  Gold 
smith's  redoubtable  gander,  he  is  determined  to  defend  the 
"  wash-pond "  of  democracy  as  long  as  he  has  a  "  quill  to 
brandish  or  a  tongue  to  hiss."  If  John  Smith  has  left  college 
permanently,  I  must  write  to  some  friend  to  see  to  my  affairs 
there,  if  neither  you  nor  myself  should  go  thither. 

I  am,  &c. 

EZEK.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Salisbury,  May  28,  1804. 

AND  if  it  were  a  pleasant  evening,  thought  I,  as  I  read  yours 
of  the  16th  —  if  it  were  a  pleasant  moonlight  evening,  I  should 
be  willing  to  meet  Merrill  half-way,  for  sake  of  an  hour's  chat, 
even  though  that  half-way  might  happen  "  in  a  marsh,  or  on  a 
lake,"  or  anywhere  except  in  Ben.  Thompson's  tavern.  I  sup 
pose  I  never  shall  have  a  heartier  desire  to  see  a  male  friend 
than  I  -have  to  see  your  tutorship ;  but  this,  like  some  other 
more  important  wishes  of  the  same  heart,  is  not  likely  to  be 
gratified.  The  first  leisure,  since  the  receipt  of  yours,  is  em 
ployed  in  answering  it ;  for  when  you  are  wrong,  I  wish  to  have 
you  right  as  soon  as  may  be.  My  former  letter  was  probably 
written  hastily.  I  am  not  now  fully  possessed  of  the  contents 
of  it,  but  it  is  probable  I  said  a  good  many  things  which  I  did 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  171 

not  mean,  and  left  unsaid  a  good  many  things  which  I  might 
have  said,  and  which  it  rested  with  your  sagacity  to  discover. 
From  what  I  wrote,  you  conclude  that  I  am  "  about  to  be 
caught  in  the  toils  of  wedlock."  Ay,  an  ambiguity !  Pray,  do 
you  mean  the  snares  or  the  labors  of  wedlock  ?  But  you  are 
wrong ;  there  is  no  such  thing,  nor  any  thing  very  much  like  it. 
This  said  wed-lock  is  a  very  dangerous  sort  of  a  lock.  Once 
fastened,  it  is  fastened  forever.  It  is  a  lock  that  one  can't  unlock ; 
you  can't  break  it,  you  can't  pick  it.  Therefore  I  say  again 
that  this  is  a  very  dangerous  one.  In  that  idle  reverie  of  the 
imagination  that  is  called  a  "  brown  study,"  I  have  sometimes 
fancied  myself  a  king,  governing  by  wise  maxims ;  a  priest, 
making  good  sermons ;  a  doctor,  a  lawyer,  and  a  thousand 
other  things  ;  but  in  the  most  wayward  frolic  of  fancy,  I  never 
dreamed  myself  to  be  a  husband.  A  husband ! !  My  pen  flies 
and  hurries  from  that  word  with  an  unusual  degree  of  speed, 
and  I  am  not  sure  that  I  could  prevail  on  myself  even  to  write 
it  again. 

But  this  is  all  nonsense.  I  will  try  to  be  serious,  for  you 
appear  to  be  so.  Seriously  then,  Merrill,  I  am  making  no 
progress  towards  matrimony.  In  point  of  time,  I  am  twenty- 
three  years  nearer  to  it  than  when  I  was  born ;  but,  in  point  of 
probability,  I  cannot  say  that  I  am  any.  You  ask  me  to  men 
tion  names,  and  say  you  would  trust  as  much  as  that  to  a  mail 
carrier.  Really,  Thomas,  I  love  your  zealous  cordiality.  Your 
earnestness  to  know  the  truth  of  your  conjectures,  I  regard  as  a 
proof  of  friendship,  and  of  the  interest  you  take  in  my  welfare. 
You  have  a  right  to  know  all,  and,  tempore  proprio,  you  shall 
know  all.  I  can  say  that  there  is  no  name  which  I  could  write, 
that  is,  or  ever  probably  will  be,  in  any  way  connected  with 
mine.  All  I  have  said  does  not  prove  that  I  carry  about  in  my 
bosom  a  stony  heart,  unpenetrated  and  impenetrable ;  much 
less  are  you  to  understand  from  it  that  disappointment  is  about 
driving  me  from  this  world  "  by  cold  submersion,  razor,  rope,  or 
lead."  You  are  great  in  arithmetic.  I  will  give  you  a  prob 
lem  ;  but,  on  a  second  thought,  it  belongs  rather  to  algebra 
than  arithmetic.  As  known  quantities,  take  partiality  and 
esteem,  on  one  side,  to  an  indefinite  degree,  which  Judge 
Woodward  says  is  much  the  same  as  an  infinite  degree.  On 
the  other  side,  take  charitv  and  condescension,  but  take  with 


172  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

them  also  something  like  an  alter  amator  et  connexio  precedens. 
Now,  Mr.  Algebraist,  what  is  the  result  ?  Ah !  it  will  be  minus  ! 

All  these  matters  and  things  must  rest  here  till  I  see  you. 
There  is  no  knowing  what  may  be.  Perhaps  you  and  I  shaU 

cast  lots  for  the  privilege  of   making  bows  to  M y.      Be 

not  alarmed,  for  if  it  fall  to  my  fortune,  I  will  seU  you  my  right, 
verily  believing  that  before  I  see  her  again,  her  "  Little  Beater  " 
(Bingham's  name  for  heart)  will  be  in  the  safe-keeping  of  my 
friend  M. 

You  have  very  much  bound  me,  by  your  attention  to  my 
brother's  matters.  When  I  write  him  next,  I  will  mention  the 
subject  of  an  oration.  He  has  some  reluctance  to  public  exhibi 
tion,  and  perhaps  will  hardly  be  willing  to  prepare,  under  the 
idea  that  the  occasion  might  happen.  If  not  absolutely  the 
last,  this  is  near  to  being  the  last  letter  which  I  shall  write  you 
from  Salisbury.  I  am  now  pretty  well  determined  to  go  to 
Boston,  about  the  first  of  July.  I  am  now  ready  for  my  depar 
ture,  and  only  wait  to  give  myself  the  pleasure  of  a  ride  to  the 
upper  part  of  Maine,  to  accompany  thither  Miss  Poor,  who  has 
been  a  while  in  Mr.  Thompson's  family,  and  whom  you  have 
heard  mentioned.  In  this  route  I  shall  see  Mr.  Dana's  folks. 
If  they  are  as  inquisitive  as  ever,  they  have  probably  learned 
something  of  their  cousin's  state  of  mind.  If  they  say  any 
thing  interesting  to  you,  like  as  not  I  shall  tell  you  of  it; 
though,  by  the  way,  I  suppose  you  know  much  more  than  they 
do.  I  shall  hardly  see  Hanover  at  Commencement.  Good  old 
village,  adieu !  You  ask  me  to  tell  you  what  to  do.  I  would 
if  I  could ;  but  am  scarcely  able  to  direct  myself.  My  wish  is 
that  you  should  be,  in  a  great  degree,  what  I  can  sincerely  say 
I  think  you  in  a  very  respectable  one,  learned,  deeply  learned  in 
biblical  erudition.  At  this  time  more  than  any  other,  we  need 
ministers  who  can  furnish  us  with  weapons  to  defend  our  faith. 

Pray,  write  me  in  season,  so  that  I  may  receive  your  letter 
before  I  set  out  on  my  journey,  about  15th  of  June.  Tell  me 
whether  you  shall,  and  be  sure  to  say  you  will,  be  at  Cam 
bridge  Commencement.  Tell  me  every  thing  about  everybody, 
and  what  everybody  says  about  every  thing. 

Who  is  more  heartily  yours  than 

D.  W.? 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  173 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Salisbury,  June  10,  1804. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — Yesterday  evening  I  returned  from  election, 
in  about  as  good  spirits  as  you  would  naturally  suppose,  after 
being  witness  to  the  triumph  of  democracy.  J.  T.  Gilman  is 
elected  Governor  by  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  -two 
votes,  if  I  recollect  right.  The  Senate  is  seven  Democrats  and 
five  Federalists.  Nicholas  Gilman  is  President.  John  Langdon 
is  Speaker  of  the  House,  by  a  majority  of  twelve.  Nat.  Gilman 
was  yesterday  elected  Treasurer,  by  three  votes  majority ;  but 
on  examination  it  was  found  that  there  were  several  more  votes 
received  than  there  were  voters  in  the  house !  What  an  everlast 
ing  disgrace  to  New  Hampshire  that  there  are  such  scoundrels 
in  her  government.  This  is  about  as  clever  as  a  Boscawen  town 
meeting.  To-day,  at  ten  o'clock,  they  were  to  proceed  to  a  new 
choice  for  Treasurer.  I  have  not  heard  the  result.  Bradley  and 
Bingham  bring  me  the  only  word  I  have  heard  from  you,  since 
Mr.  Greenleaf 's  return  from  Boston.  The  former  tells  me  he 
understands  you  intend  putting  your  name  in  some  office,  forth 
with,  after  Commencement.  That  is  right.  Make  a  good  choice 
of  an  office ;  he  mentioned  old  Judge  Sullivan's ;  I  should  think 
that  might  do  very  well. 

Feeling  some  anxiety  about  your  "  sheep-skin,"  I  wrote  to 
Merrill,  and  begged  him  to  put  his  finger  on  the  President's  pulse, 
and  tell  me  how  it  beat.  He  writes  in  return  that  if  you 
attend  Commencement  there  is  no  doubt  you  will  have  your 
degree.  He  said  that  it  would  be  well  for  you  to  prepare  an 
English  oration  for  Commencement.  I  promised  to  mention 
the  thing  to  you.  If  you  should  have  one  of  the  very  first 
stamp  I  should  like  it. 

I  talk  of  going  for  Mr.  T.  to  East  Andover,  to  accompany 
Miss  Poor  to  her  friends.  As  soon  as  this  is  over  I  intend 
going  to  Boston. 

For  cash  I  have  made  out.  Perhaps  in  three  weeks  you  may 
see  me  in  Short  street.  Our  cousin  Nat.  is  getting  better. 
Aunt  Esther  is  about  rushing  into  wedlock ;  next  week  she  sets 
out  into  life.  Zeke,  I  don't  believe  but  that  Providence  will  do 
well  for  us  yet.  We  shall  live,  and  live  comfortably.  I  have 
15* 


174 


PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 


this  week  come  within  an  ace  of  being  appointed  clerk  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  Hillsborough  county.  Well,  you 
will  say,  you  are  no  better  off  than  if  you  had  not  come  within 
an  ace.  Perhaps  I  am ; — say  nothing,  but  think  a  good  deal, 
and  do  not  distrust  the  gods. 

I  shall  write  you  before  I  go  to  East  Andover,  if  I  go  at  all ; 
if  I  do  not  go  I  intend  seeing  you  directly. 

Keep  the  contents  of  this  page  a  close  secret ;  write  me  im 
mediately,  and  believe  me, 

Yours  affectionately, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  June  17,  1804. 

GOOD  DANIEL, — I  was  not  very  well  the  day  our  friend  Bing- 
ham  left  town,  or  I  should  have  written  by  him.  I  had  not 
written  immediately  before,  for  I  thought  if  you  were  about 
coming  into  town,  you  would  make  it  in  your  way  to  be  here 
about  election  time  in  this  State,  and  concluded  it  might  be 
probable  that  while  my  letter  was  finding  its  way  to  Salisbury, 
you  might  be  moving  towards  Boston.  Your  last,  however,  lets 
me  know  that  you  are  still  in  Squam,  but  will  be  in  "  Short 
street "  in  about  three  weeks.  A  very  delightful  place !  We 
shall  be  glad  to  see  you.  Come  as  soon  as  convenient.  Mr. 
Thompson  sends  you  upon  business  to  East  Andover?  Be 
faithful  to  your  employer,  and  do  not  lay  your  action  so  as  to 
be  nonsuited ;  for  you  must  remember  that  nothing  but  the 
death  of  the  party  will  enable  you  to  bring  a  new  suit.  I 
think,  Daniel,  you  made  a  very  good  supper  upon  a  "  white 
raven,"  when  you  were  going  to  have  so  cleverly  the  clerkship 
of  Hillsborough  county.  It  would,  though,  be  a  very  pretty 
thing  and  I  advise  you  to  use  all  honest  means  to  procure  it. 
It  will  answer  very  well  for  the  present.  In  that  office  you  may 
make  a  little  money,  become  acquainted  with  the  forms  of  legal 
business,  and  be  prepared  to  enter  your  profession  with  many 
advantages  with  which  you  could  not  at  present.  You  know, 
however,  much  better  about  this  than  myself.  Ask  me  about  a 
school  and  I  arn  equal  to  you.  Democracy  has  triumphed  in 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  175 

New  Hampshire.  It  is  nothing  more  than  I  expected,  and 
what  I  told  you.  In  my  opinion  there  is  not  a  nook  or  corner 
in  the  United  States  that  will  not  be  revolutionized.  The  con 
tagion  of  democracy  will  pervade  every  place  and  corrupt  every 
generous  and  manly  sentiment.  It  cannot  be  successfully 
resisted.  The  pestilence  will  spread  in  a  favorable  state  of  the 
atmosphere,  notwithstanding  all  the  medical  exertions  of  the 
most  skilful  physicians. 

I  am  glad  Nat.  is  getting  better,  and  that  aunt  Esther  is  about 
to  be  married. 

Remember  me  to  all  the  family,  and  tell  them  all  to  write  me 
by  you.  Good  health,  a  pleasant  journey,  and  a  quick  arrival  at 
this  place. 

I  am,  &c.  E.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Salisbury,  June  18,  1804. 

JEM, — By  this  time  you  are  seated  fair  and  easy  at  your  office 
table,  and  ready  to  receive  communications  from  your  friends. 
"  Communications !  "  What  have  I  to  communicate  ?  Alas, 
alas,  my  noddle  affords  an  argument  against  the  old  maxim  of 
the  Schools,  that  nature  abhors  a  vacuum.  I  believe  I  told  you 
every  thing  in  the  short  space  of  time  we  chum'd  together  at 
Polly's  house,  and  among  other  things  I  told  you  I  would  w/ite 
you  in  a  week.  It  is  for  the  sake  of  fulfilling  this  promise,  and 
not  because  I  have  any  thing,  black,  white,  or  gray  to  write  to 
you,  that  I  now  lay  aside  my  garden  hoe,  and  take  up  an  instru 
ment  which  I  handle  much  more  bunglingly,  a  pen.  To-morrow 
morning,  if  the  wind  blows  precisely  from  a  N.  N.  W.  point ; 
if  the  sun  puts  on  a  cool  garment,  and  does  not  sweat  himself  to 
death,  as  he  has  done  a  week  past,  with  his  fearnought ;  if  the 
great  sieve  of  the  skies  does  not  drop  down  its  waters  too 
copiously ;  if  every  thing  is  fair  and  handsome,  cool,  and  com 
fortable,  why  then  I  shall  set  out  for  East  Andover  to  gallant 
Miss  Poor  to  her  friends. 

Our  honorable  court  are  going  on  finely.  They  have  passed 
a  set  of  resolves  approbatory  of  the  present  administration  ;  they 


176 


PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


have  agreed  to  the  amendments  to  the  Constitution,  by  a  ma 
jority  of  seven.  They  intend,  as  we  hear,  to  district  the  State 
for  the  choice  of  Representatives  to  Congress.  The  electors,  they 
say,  shall  be  chosen  by  the  people  on  a  general  ticket ;  and  the 
people  are  to  be  told  to  be  sure  to  vote  for  the  democratic 
ticket.  Mr.  T.  told  me  that  Mr.  West  was  to  be  candidate  for 
a  seat  in  the  Senate,  about  to  be  vacated  by  the  expiration  of 
Judge  Olcott's  time.  And  this  is  all  the  political  news,  which 
has  yet  transpired  from  the  Honorable  General  Court  of  New 
Hampshire. 

A  few  days  since  I  received  a  letter  from  Freeborn ;  he  is  in 
Edgefield  District,  South  Carolina.  He  writes  that  he  has  a 
good  stand  for  the  distribution  of  medicine,  but  says  the  ribs 
that  way  are  rather  ugly.  He  passed  some  time  at  Washington, 
Norfolk,  and  Charleston,  and  seems  to  write  in  his  usual  flow 
of  spirit. 

I  shall  see  Cook ;  shall  I  give  your  Honor's  love  to  him  ?  Ay, 
I  will  even  venture  it ;  give  mine  to  Harry.  There  was  some 
thing  which  I  intended  to  have  said  to  him  in  a  P.  S.,  but  just 
at  this  time  I  can't  recall  it. 

On  a  review  of  this  letter,  I  find  that  if  my  character  for  letter- 
writing  were  not  already  established,  this  would  fix  it  com 
pletely. 

Good-bye.  You  will  never  have  another  such  an  interesting 
letter  as  this.  Two  prodigies  come  not  in  one  age. 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Salisbury,  June  18,  1804. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — Day  after  to-morrow,  if  the  wind  blows  from 
the  right  point,  I  start  for  East  Andover ;  on  this  tour  I  expect 
to  be  absent  about  twelve  days ;  and  soon  after  my  return  here, 
I  expect  to  be  in  Boston.  The  season  is  now  so  far  advanced, 
I  intend  to  make  my  calculation,  so  as  to  be  merely  seasonably 
in  town,  to  learn  the  arrangements  of  your  school  and  be  able 
to  manage  it,  till  you  go  after  your  degree.  Now  I  want  you 
to  be  particular.  Some  time  ago  you  mentioned  to  me  a  few 
Latin  and  Greek  scholars ;  since  then  you  keep  glued  lips  on 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  177 

the  subject  of  your  school.  I  desire  to  know  whether  you  can 
employ  me ;  how  many  hours  per  day ;  in  what  doing,  and  for 
what  reward  ?  All  these  questions  you  must  certainly  answer ; 
and  have  your  answers  here  by  the  time  I  return.  Tell  me  into 
whose  office  I  had  better  go ;  whether  letters  of  introduction 
and  from  whom  would  be  useful ;  in  short,  tell  me  every  thing  ; 
and  as  an  inducement  I  will  noAV  tell  you  all  I  know  about  our 
New  Hampshire  politics. 

The  propositions  in  amendment  of  the  Constitution  passed 
by  a  majority  of  seven.  It  is  probable  Nicholas  Oilman  or 
Jonathan  Steele  will  be  elected  Senator  to  Congress,  in  the 
place  of  Judge  Olcott,  whose  time  expires  next  March.  Mr. 
West  will  be  the  Federal  candidate.  I  know  not  if  this  election 
is  to  be  made  this  session.  It  is  said  the  representatives  to 
Congress  will  be  chosen  by  districts.  I  know  not  who  are  can 
didates  on  either  side.  The  electors,  they  say,  are  to  be  chosen 
by  the  people  on  a  general  ticket.  The  Democratic  candidates 
are  thought  to  be  Goddard,  Langdon,  Allen,  Tarlton,  Obed, 
Hall,  &c.  The  Federalists  meet  to-night  to  agree  on  their  list. 
The  probability  is,  it  will  contain  the  names  of  Jere.  Smith, 
Tim.  Farrar,  Ben.  West,  perhaps  T.  W.  Thompson,  Arthur 
Livermore,  Wm.  Hale,  Oliver  Peabody.  This  is  my  conjecture, 
perhaps  I  am  incorrect.  The  court  have  had  the  grace  to  add 
five  hundred  dollars  to  Chief  Justice  Smith's  salary ;  this,  it  is 
thought,  will  keep  him  on  the  bench. 

Apropos,  they  have  passed  a  set  of  resolves  complimentary  to 
the  present  administration  ! 

In  the  neighborhood,  we  have  nothing  new.  Everybody  is 
well  except  Uncle  Will,  and  he  has  just  told  me  to  say  to  you 
he  is  better.  Aunt  Jones  is  married  to  old  Uncle  Adams. 
Hymen  came  down  one  evening  and  did  himself  the  honor  to 
unite  the  glowing  lips  of  youth  and  beauty. 

Mr.  Davis  was  this  way  at  election  time ;  he  brought  nothing 
from  Hanover,  worthy  to  be  told. 

Adieu.  Pray  do  not  fail  to  write  me,  so  that  I  may  find  your 
letter  here  when  I  return.  Give  my  love  to  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
Perkins. 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DIARY. 


[THE  following  fragment  of  a  Diary,  kept  by  Mr.  "Webster 
while  a  student  at  law,  being  all  that  has  been  preserved,  is  in 
serted  here,  in  the  order  of  time,  and  is  interesting  as  containing 
sketches  of  some  of  the  eminent  men  then  at  the  Massachusetts 
bar.] 

July  17th,  1804.     Arrived  in  Boston. 

19th.  Paid  Elijah  Chamberlain  thirty-nine  dollars  and  forty- 
eight  cents,  for  my  friend  D.  Abbott,  Esq. 

20th.  Waited  on  Mr.  Gore  ;  and,  by  the  kindness  of  my  friend 
Bradley,  prevailed  upon  him  to  receive  me  into  his  office.  Paid 
two  dollars  to  Dr.  Perkins's  boy  for  Repertory.  Paid  Mr.  Brad 
ley  three  dollars  for  tickets. 

24th.  Entered  the  office  of  the  Honorable  C.  Gore,  as  a  stu 
dent  at  law.  Bought  annu.  pro  me  a 

28th.  Took  up  at  Mr.  Chamberlain's  three  dollars  twelve  and 
a  half  cents. 

29th.    Wrote  Sarah. 

3Qth.   Paid  seventy-five  cents  for  thread  gloves. 

August  1st.    Scripsi  mece 

2d.  Dr.  P.,  debtor,  fifty-four  cents,  paid.  Wrote  Freeborn 
Adams,  a  few  days  ago. 

5th.   Dr.  P.,  debtor,  twenty-five  cents. 

7th.  Pay  to  J.  Bradley,  for  J.  McGaw,  Esq.,  two  dollars  and 
fifty -six  cents;  handed  it  to  S.  Bradley.  Bought,  yesterday, 
Pursuits  of  Literature,  for  one  dollar  and  sixty  cents.  Wrote 
Mr.  Hough  for  Courier,  4th  instant ;  also,  wrote  Bingham,  same 
day.  Paid  twenty-five  cents,  for  Dr.  Perkins,  to  Bradley,  in  way 
of  tickets. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  179 

1.0th.  Finished  reading  Ward's  Law  of  Nations,  two  vols., 
and  began  Vattel. 

18th.  Went  from  Dr.  P.'s  to  McC.'s  to  board.  Sent  by  E. 
twenty  dollars  to  Mr.  Abbott.  Paid  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents 
for  door  keys ;  one  dollar  and  eighty  cents  for  locks  and  keys. 

31st.  Attended  the  trial  of  Blood,  for  passing  counterfeit  bills ; 
heard  Otis,  in  his  defence ;  very  fluent,  rapid,  and  ingenious ; 
Davis,  on  the  part  of  the  government,  shrewd  and  dextrous, 'but 
using  language  incorrect  and  often  inelegant. 

September  1st,   Handed  Dr.  P.  thirteen  dollars. 

4th.  Finished  reading  Evans's  Essays  on  the  "  Account  for 
money  had  and  received,"  and  bills  of  exchange.  Wrote  to 
J.  McGaw,  Esq.,  yesterday. 

14th.  Paid  S.  A.  Bradley  five  dollars  for  some  small  notes, 
et  cetera.  Wrote  Mr.  Bigelow.  Finished  Evans  on  Insurance, 
some  time  ago ;  read  Boswell's  Hebrides. 

17th.  Professional  life  affords  fewer  prospects  of  making  great 
estates,  but  more  certainty  of  earning  a  comfortable  living. 
Mercantile  business  is  precarious  though  often  exceedingly  lu 
crative  ;  professional,  seldom  very  lucrative  ;  but  generally,  cer 
tain  ;  therefore,  I  rejoice  that  I  am  in  the  way  of  a  profession. 
Oh,  Instability !  To-day,  I  have  heard  of  mercantile  failures. 
I  philippize  against  that  employment  now ;  to-morrow,  perhaps, 
I  shall  hear  of  great  and  heavy  gains,  and  shah1  then  eulogize  it. 

22d.  Returned  from  Worcester ;  heard  A.  Walcott  say  that 
the  Democrats  had  lost  ground  in  Connecticut,  at  this  fall  elec 
tion  ;  that  the  constitution  plan  was  rather  unpopular ;  and,  as 
he  thought,  premature. 

24th.  Socrates  said,  if  you  marry,  you  will  repent ;  if  you 
neglect  it,  you  will  repent.  Read  Viner's  Title  of  Pleadings 
yesterday,  and  to-day.  It  is  not  so  copious  nor  so  instructive 
as  what  Bacon  says,  under  the  same  title.  Wrote  Mr.  Peirce, 
some  days  ago. 

26th.  Read  one  hundred  pages  in  Abbott  on  Shipping ;  de 
rived  much  instruction  from  it.  "  If  a  captain  in  his  voyage 
hypothecates  his  ship  to  different  loaners,  and  to  a  greater 
amount  than  the  value  of  the  ship,  the  last  loaner  shall  be 
entitled  to  priority  of  payment ;  because  it  is  that  loan  which 
preserved  the  ship." 

October  1st.     Finished  Abbott  on  Shipping;  a  valuable  trea- 


180  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

tise :  "  If  C.  D.,  by  a  proper  deed,  authorize  A.  B.  to  execute  a 
bond  or  other  deed  for  him,  A.  B.  may  do  this  either  by  writing 
C.  B.  by  A.  B.,  his  attorney,  or  by  writing  A.  B.  for  C.  D.,  pro 
vided  he  delivers  the  instrument  as  the  deed  of  C.  D,"  page  300. 
I  prefer  the  former  mode. 

4th.   Read  the  first  volume  of  Moore's  Travels. 

5th.  Finished  Vattel,  for  the  third  time  in  my  life.  "  If  goods 
are  found  remaining  in  the  hands  of  an  insolvent  factor,  they 
may  be  claimed  by  the  consignor ;  because  a  delivery  to  a  factor 
does  not  of  itself  alter  the  property."  Abbott  on  Shipping,  page 
233.  By  the  civil  law,  and  by  the  laws  of  Russia  and  France, 
if  a  man  become  bankrupt,  the  seller  of  any  goods  to  him,  if  he 
could  identify  the  goods  unsold,  in  the  hands  of  the  bankrupt, 
might  claim  them,  and  should  not  be  compelled  to  divide  them 
with  other  creditors.  This  is  very  different  from  the  law  of 
England,  by  which  goods  become,  by  actual  or  constructive 
possession,  the  absolute  property  of  another  and  equally  liable 
to  all  creditors'  claims. 

9th.  Looked  through  the  "  Elements  of  Common  Law,"  by 
F.  Bacon,  Lord  Verulam.  If  there  be  any  ambiguity  apparent 
in  a  deed,  it  shall  not  be  allowed  to  clear  it  by  averment  of  mat 
ter  of  fact ;  this  is  ambiguitas  patens,  namely,  the  uncertainty 
appears  by  inspecting  the  deed  ;  this  is  to  be  cleared  by  construc 
tion,  not  by  averment.  But  if  there  appear  no  uncertainty  in  the 
deed  or  will,  but  yet  certain  facts  exist  which  create  an  uncer 
tainty,  then  it  is  proper  to  aver ;  as  if  A.,  by  will,  give  an  estate 
to  his  son  ;  here  is  no  ambiguitas  patens  ;  but,  if  it  be  afterwards 
known  that  A.  have  two  sons,  then  it  may  be  allowed  to  aver 
that  he  intended  his  eldest  son. 

llth.  Read  Viner.  Title,  Obligation.  "  If  three  bind  them 
selves  and  each  of  them,  it  seems  that  two  of  them  cannot  be 
sued.  If  a  bond  be  written  jointly  and  severally,  though  the 
delivery  be  at  several  times  and  places,  it  is  yet  both  joint  and 
several.  If  a  man  covenants  with  ten  and  each  of  them  to  make 
sea  banks  in  D.,  and  does  not,  whereby  the  lands  of  two  are 
injured,  those  two  may  have  their  actions."  Bond  to  two,  for 
two  thousand  pounds,  to  pay  one  hundred  to  one  and  one  hun 
dred  to  the  other ;  if  one  obligee  die,  qucere,  if  the  other  shall 
have  the  two  thousand  pounds ;  I  think  not ;  but  there  is  author 
ity  of  contrary  opinion.  See  Dyer,  p.  350,  and  Bacon  in  loco. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  181 

If  condition  for  an  obligation  be  insensible  and  contradictory,  it 
shall  be  rejected,  and  the  obligation  shall  stand.  If  A.  promise 
to  pay  ten,  without  saying  to  whom  he  promises,  it  shall  be  in 
tended  that  the  promise  is  made  to  the  person  to  whom  the  pay 
ment  is  to  be  made.  This  ought  to  be  alleged  in  the  writ, 
otherwise  it  will  not  appear  that  the  plaintiff  is  entitled. — Little 
ton.  If  a  man  bind  his  heirs  to  pay  a  sum  and  does  not  bind 
himself,  it  is  void ;  for  no  man  can  charge  his  heir  but  as  part 
of  himself.  If  three  are  bound  and  one  is  impleaded  and  the 
plaintiff  recovers,  and  after  impleads  another,  the  first  recovery 
is  no  bar ;  for,  judgment  is  not  satisfaction ;  contrary,  if  plain 
tiff  take  execution,  by  his  recovery,  a  co-obligor  must  plead  satis 
faction.  If  two  are  jointly  bound,  and  one  die,  you  can  only 
sue  the  survivor,  and  not  the  executor  of  the  deceased  also ; 
otherwise,  if  they  are  bound  jointly  and  severally.  After  as 
signment  of  a  bond,  the  money  is  the  assignees' ;  and  payment 
to  the  obligee,  after  notice  of  the  assignment,  is  not  good. 

"  My  heart  still  hovering  round  about  you, 
I  thought  I  could  not  live  without  you ; 
Now  we  have  been  two  months  asunder, 
How  I  lived  with  you  is  the  wonder." 

Empedocles — Behemoth — scarlet  die. 

IGth.   Bought  hat  for  seven  dollars. 

18th.  Read  Bacon's  Title,  Obligation.  If  two  are  bound 
jointly,  and  one  dies,  the  survivor  shall  be  alone  chargeable ;  and 
the  executor  of  the  deceased  shall  not  be  bound.  In  this  case, 
the  declaration  v.  survivor  should  state  the  death  of  the  co-obligor. 
Dyer,  19,  310.  If  two  are  jointly  and  severally  bound  in  an 
obligation,  and  the  obligee  releases  one,  both  are  discharged ; 
and,  d  fortiori^  if  it  be  a  joint  bond.  Coke,  Litt.  232.  One 
surety  may  compel  another  to  contribute.  If  the  condition  of 
an  obligation  consist  of  two  parts  in  the  disjunctive,  both  possible 
at  the  time  of  making,  and  after,  one  becomes  impossible,  by  the 
act  of  God,  the  obligor  is  not  bound  to  perform  the  other.  Ray, 
373.  The  alternative  is  for  the  benefit  of  the  obligor.  A  bond 
with  condition  to  kill  J.  S.,  is  void ;  but  a  feoffment,  on  such 
condition  is  good,  for  the  law  will,  in  each  case,  remove  the 
temptation  to  do  evil.  C.  Litt.  206.  If  I  contract  to  deliver 
forty  yards  of  cloth,  and  cut  it  in  pieces,  and  then  deliver  it,  'tis 
a  breach.  If  a  man  be  bound  to  pay  money,  at  a  day,  and  he 
VOL.  i.  16 


182  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

pay  it  before  'tis  due,  'tis  a  good  payment,  and  such  payment 
may  be  given  in  evidence,  under  solvit  ad  diem.  Coke  L.  212. 
A  bond,  dated  May  12,  payable  on  the  13th  of  May  following,  is 
payable  on  the  13th  of  May  next  year.  In  cases  where  notice 
and  request  are  necessary,  yet  the  obligor  is  disabled  by  his  own 
act  from  performing  his  bond,  it  is  forfeited  without  notice.  In 
debt  on  a  bond,  for  the  performance  of  several  things,  it  is  not 
enough  for  the  defendant  to  plead  that  the  condition  is  not 
broken ;  he  ought  to  show  how  it  is  performed.  This  sort  of 
general  pleading  was  never  admitted.  In  debt  on  obligation  the 
defendants  cannot  plead  nil  debet;  he  must  plead  non  estfactum, 
or  a  release,  &c.  N.  B.  Scripsi,  4  Man. ;  C.  W. ;  Judge  Wood ; 
New  Hamp.  Mem.  Con. 

November  28th.     Returned  from  Albany. 

30th.   Wrote  my  father,  Mr.  Thompson,  and  T.  A.  Merrill. 

December  6th.  I  have  to-day  paid  Mr.  Chamberlain  thirty- 
four  dollars ;  fourteen  in  specie,  at  the  shop ;  twenty  in  bills,  at 
the  house.  Lent  him  one  hundred  and  ten  dollars ;  received  it. 
Wrote  to  Mr.  Caldwell,  and  requested  him  to  serve  the  summons, 
Gore  v.  Brazer.  Wrote  to  Dinsmore,  Esq.,  Keene,  and  enclosed 
Lowe's  receipt. 

January  2d.  Mr.  Gore  told  me  that  when  he  was  in  practice 
in  this  town,  formerly,  he  made  from  one  thousand  five  hundred 
to  two  thousand  guineas,  the  year.  Judge  Tudor,  Messrs.  Mor 
ton,  Hitchborn,  Lowell,  and  Edwards,  were  the  chief  men  then 
in  practice.  He  was  invited  to  be  Comptroller  of  the  Treasury, 
but  declined.  Mr.  Davis  was  then  appointed.  When  Mr.  Gor 
went  to  Europe,  he  recommended  Mr.  Dexter  to  be  his  success< 
Mr.  Dexter  declined,  and  General  Washington  appointed 
Davis. 

19/A.    Finished  reading  Gifford's  Juvenal. 

March  5th.  This  day,  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  state  hoi 
in  presence  of  Isaac  P.  Davis,  and  Samuel  A.  Bradley,  and 
Jem  Dix,  Jr.,  I  examined  the  letters  to  Callender  from  Jefferson. 
Mr.  Dix  told  me  he  had  often  seen  the  signature  of  Mr.  J.,  and  on 
being  asked  whether  he  doubted  that  Mr.  J.  really  signed  the 
letters  in  question,  he  said,  "  he  did  not."  I  preserve  this  pre 
cious  confession  against  a  time  of  need. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  183 

SOME  CHARACTERS  AT  THE  BOSTON  BAR,  1804. 

THEOPHILVS  PARSONS,  Esq.  is  now  about  fifty-five  years  old; 
of  rather  large  stature  and  inclining  a  little  to  corpulency.  His 
hair  is  brown  and  his  complexion  not  light.  His  face  is  not 
marked  by  any  striking  feature,  if  we  except  his  eyes.  His  fore 
head  is  low  and  his  eyebrows  prominent.  He  wears  a  blue  coat 
and  breeches ;  worsted  hose,  a  brown  wig,  with  a  cocked  hat. 
He  has  a  penetrating  eye  of  an  indescribable  color.  When, 
couched  under  a  jutting  eyebrow,  it  directs  its  beams  into  the 
face  of  a  witness,  he  feels  as  if  it  looked  into  the  inmost  recesses 
of  his  soul.  When  Parsons  intends  to  make  a  learned  observa 
tion,  his  eyebrow  sinks ;  when  a  smart  one,  for  he  is,  and  wishes 
to  be  thought,  a  wit,  it  rises.  The  characteristic  endowments  of 
his  mind  are  strength  and  shrewdness.  Strength,  which  enables 
him  to  support  his  cause ;  shrewdness,  by  which  he  is  always 
ready  to  retort  the  sallies  of  his  adversary.  His  manner  is  steady, 
forcible,  and  perfectly  perspicuous.  He  does  not  address  the 
jury  as  a  mechanical  body  to  be  put  in  motion  by  mechanical 
means.  He  appeals  to  them  as  men,  and  as  having  minds 
capable  of  receiving  the  ideas  in  his  own.  Of  course,  he  never 
harangues.  He  is  never  stinted  to  say  just  so  much  on  a  point, 
and  no  more.  He  knows  by  the  juror's  countenance,  when  he 
is  convinced ;  and  therefore  never  disgusts  him  by  arguing  that 
of  which  he  is  already  sensible  and  which  he  knows  it  impossible 
more  fully  to  impress.  A  mind  thus  strong,  direct,  prompt,  and 
vigorous  is  cultivated  by  habits  of  the  most  intense  application. 
A  great  scholar  in  every  thing,  in  his  profession  he  is  peculiarly 
great.  He  is  not  content  with  shining  on  occasions ;  he  will 
shine  everywhere.  As  no  cause  is  too  great,  none  is  too  small 
for  him.  He  knows  the  great  benefit  of  understanding  small 
circumstances.  "Pis  not  enough  for  him  that  he  has  learned  the 
leading  points  in  a  cause ;  he  will  know  every  thing.  His  argu 
ment  is,  therefore,  always  consistent  with  itself;  and  its  course 
so  luminous  that  you  are  ready  to  wonder  why  any  one  should 
hesitate  to  follow  him.  Facts  which  are  uncertain,  he  with  so 
much  art  connects  with  others  well  proved,  that  you  cannot  get 
rid  of  the  former,  without  disregarding  the  latter.  He  has  no 
fondness  for  public  life,  and  is  satisfied  with  standing  where  he 
is,  at  the  head  of  his  profession. 


184  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

J.  S.  is  a  man  of  some  understanding  and  a  great  deal  of  am 
bition.  He  is  the  reverse  of  Parsons  in  many  respects.  He  has 
less  learning,  less  perspicuity,  less  force,  less  pertinency.  He 
rolls  on  his  cause  with  an  immense  labor,  deals  in  much  sour 
invective,  and  acts  in  that  way,  as  if  he  supposed  the  court  and 
jury  against  him.  He  has,  however,  much  industry,  and  is  said 
to  be  a  man  of  excellent  private  character.  I  should  think  him 
near  sixty. 

Samuel  Dexter,  Esq.,  is  about  forty  years  old ;  a  man  of  large 
size  and  noble  appearance.  His  complexion  is  dark  and  his  eyea 
dark,  large,  and  prominent.  In  point  of  character,  Dexter  un 
doubtedly  stands  next  to  Parsons,  at  the  Boston  bar ;  and  in  the 
neighboring  counties  and  States,  I  suppose  he  stands  above  him. 
He  has  a  strong,  generalizing,  and  capacious  mind.  He  sees  his 
subject  in  one  view,  and  in  that  view  single  and  alone  he  presents 
it  to  the  contemplation  of  his  hearer.  Unable  to  follow  Parsons, 
in  minute  technical  distinctions,  Parsons  is  unable  to  follow  him 
in  the  occasional  vaultings  and  boundings  of  his  mind.  Unlike 
Parsons  too,  he  cannot  be  great  on  little  occasions.  Unlike  him, 
Parsons  cannot  reject  every  little  consideration  on  great  occas 
ions.  Parsons  begins  with  common  maxims,  and  his  course  to 
the  particular  subject  and  the  particular  conclusion  brightens 
and  shines  more  and  more  clearly  to  its  end.  Dexter  begins 
with  the  particular  position  which  he  intends  to  support.  Dark 
ness  surrounds  him.  No  one  knows  the  path  by  which  he 
arrived  at  his  conclusion.  Around  him,  however,  is  a  circle  of 
light,  when  he  opens  his  mouth.  Like  a  conflagration  seen  at  a 
distance,  the  evening  mists  may  intervene  between  it  and  the  eye 
of  the  observer,  though  the  blaze  ascend  to  the  sky  and  cannot 
but  be  seen.  Mr.  Dexter  is  not  a  great  student.  Early  atten 
tion  has  stored  his  mind  with  an  immense  fund  of  general  prin 
ciples,  and  he  trusts  his  own  powers  in  the  application.  He  is 
generally  opposed  in  causes  to  Parsons,  and  their  contest  is  that 
of  exalted  minds.  No  fretting,  no  bickering,  no  personal  asperity 
ever  exists  between  them.  Dexter  is  not  rich.  He  lives  upon 
his  profession,  which,  as  I  was  told,  by  a  pupil  of  his,  affords  him 
an  income  of  near  five  thousand  dollars.  He  once  received  four 
teen  hundred  dollars  for  arguing  a  cause  for  the  Spanish  consul. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  185 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Boston,  August  4,  1804. 

DEAR  HERVEY,. — Boston,  this  marvellous  town,  full  as  you 
know  it  is  of  every  thing  of  every  sort,  has  not  altogether  enough 
in  it,  nevertheless,  to  fill  the  whole  capacity  for  happiness. 

Neither  business  nor  amusement  hath  charm  enough  to  super 
sede  the  use  of  friendships,  "  ancient  and  honorable."  I  am  in 
great  want  of  a  letter  from  you ;  and  as  the  readiest  way  of  get 
ting  it,  I  write  this  as  a  sort  of  dun,  a  creature  handily  manu 
factured  by  one  of  our  profession. 

I  have  been  in  Boston,  according  to  Sir  Isaac  Bickerstaff, 
"  the  full  term  of  twenty  days,"  in  which  I  have  enjoyed  good 
health,  the  use  of  a  good  office,  and  the  company  of  some  good 
friends,  three  as  comfortable  things  as  a  body  could  wish  for. 
I  am  in  the  office  of  the  Hon.  Christopher  Gore,  lately  returned 
from  London,  where  he  has  resided  the  eight  last  years,  as  a 
commissioner  under  the  British  treaty.  I  neither  knew  him,  nor 
had  letters  to  him  when  I  came  into  town,  nor  was  I  acquainted 
with  anybody  that  did  know  him.  I  was  pleased  with  his  re 
puted  character,  and  knew  that  the  chance  was,  that  he  would 
not  have  a  great  deal  of  small  business  to  do  in  his  office ;  such 
was  the  office  I  wished  to  enter.  On  the  whole,  I  preferred  it 
to  any  office  in  town,  and  had  reason  to  suppose  that  it  would 
not  be  disagreeable  to  him  to  take  a  clerk.  What  was  to  be 
done  ?  How  should  I  become  known  to  him  ?  I  meditated  on 
these  questions  a  day  or  two,  and,  at  last,  luckily  thought  that 
I  had  a  tongue  in  my  head ;  and  that,  Deo  volente,  et  modestia 
non  pugnante,  I  could  tell  him  my  own  name.  I  consulted  with 
Bradley,  and  on  the  whole  we  concluded  that  being  both  stran 
gers,  we  would  go  and  introduce  each  other.  We  succeeded 
admirably.  Mr.  Gore  agreed  to  receive  me,  but  not  understand 
ing  Bradley  very  distinctly  when  he  mentioned  my  name,  I  had 
been  in  the  office  a  week  or  so  before  Mr.  Gore  knew  the  name 
of  his  clerk ! ! !  This  I  call  setting  out  in  the  world !  Mr.  Gore 
is  a  fine  man  ;  learned  and  communicative,  and  I  could  not  pos- 
dibly  be  better  situated  ;  but  I  most  devoutly  hope  that  I  shall 
never  have  to  set  out  again. 

Jerome,  the  brother  of  the  Emperor  of  the  Gauls,  is  here ; 
16* 


186  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OI 

every  day  you  see  him  whisking  along  Cornhill,  with  the  true 
French  air,  and  his  wife  by  his  side.  The  lads  say,  that  they 
intend  to  prevail  on  American  Misses  to  receive  company  in 
future  after  the  manner  of  Jerome's  wife ;  that  is,  in  bed.  The 
gentlemen  of  Boston  treat  Monsieur  with  cold  and  distant  re 
spect.  They  feel,  and  every  honest  man  feels,  indignant  at  see 
ing  this  lordly  grasshopper,  this  puppet  in  Prince's  robes,  dash 
ing  through  the  American  cities,  luxuriously  rioting  on  the 
property  of  Dutch  mechanics  or  Swiss  peasants. 

Will  you  do  me  a  favor  ?  Mr.  Sumner  is  Coleman's  agent  to 
receive  payments  for  the  New  York  Herald.  I  began  to  take 
the  paper  some  time  in  the  fall  of  1802;  can't  say  exactly  when. 
I  have  sent  to  the  printer  three  dollars.  Now  I  wish  you  to  pay 
Mr.  Sumner  what  there  is  due,  and  send  me  an  account  of  it, 
and  I  will  forward  it  to  you  again  by  the  next  mail.  I  would 
send  it  now,  but  cannot  tell  within  a  dollar  or  two  what  is  due. 
If  you  will  attend  to  this  thing  and  write  me  forthwith,  you  will 
oblige  me.  I  wish  to  have  the  paper  stopped.  Give  my  love 
to  our  friends,  and  believe  me  yours  affectionately, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Boston,  September  14,  1804. 

DEAR  HERVEY, — I  should  be  glad  if  I  could  think  of  a  great 
many  wise  and  useful  things  to  say  to  you  now,  just  as  you  are 
preparing  to  clothe  yourself  in  the  character  of  a  lawyer.  Having 
however  a  subject  nearer  home,  for  all  the  admonitions  with 
which  my  mind  furnishes  me,  I  shall  leave  you  unadvised. 

I  wish  you  were  here.  Boston  would  please  you  as  a  place  of 
professional  study.  I  could,  however,  only  wish  you  here  under 
particular  circumstances.  You  say  the  want  of  cash  prevents 
you,  and  if  it  were  not  for  that  you  would  pass  a  six  months 
here.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  should  advise  it.  You  are  now 
ready  to  open  an  office,  open ;  you  are  ready  to  make  writs, 
make  them ;  you  are  ready  to  go  about  getting  money,  get  it. 
This  is  my  advice.  If  I  had  gone  my  time,  I  would  not  stop  to 
study  law  anywhere ;  not  because  I  think  it  a  good  calculation 
to  hurry  into  life  ;  but  I  am  argued  into  the  notion  by  that  all- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  187 

powerful  argument,  the  necessity  of  being  in  business.  Write 
me  in  less  than  two  minutes  after  you  receive  this,  and  let  me 
know  where  you  are  going  to  fix  yourself.  Having  settled,  for 
I  suppose  you  intend  to  stay  in  Cheshire  county,  I  wish  you  to 
give  your  opinion  of  the  then  best  vacancy  in  Cheshire,  together 
with  the  opinion  of  others  whom  you  hear  mention  the  subject.  I 
mean  to  stay  here,  if  I  can,  till  my  time  is  out,  and  in  the  inte 
rim  I  wish  to  inform  myself,  so  as  to  be  at  no  great  loss  for  a 
stand.  If  I  am  not  earning  my  bread  and  cheese,  in  exactly  nine 
days  after  my  admission,  I  shall  certainly  be  a  bankrupt.  Fuller 
was  lately  here.  He  said  much  about  Bingham,  and  appointed 
once  or  twice  to  write  to  you,  but  something  prevented.  He 
had  with  him  a  Miss,  who  is  said  to  be  his  intended.  She  ap 
pears  a  very  sensible,  agreeable  girl.  Mary  Smith  is  in  town. 
I  have  made  her  my  humblest  bow.  Last  evening  I  was  at 
Perkins's  ;  some  one  knocked  ;  the  door  was  opened ;  when,  with 
precisely  the  old  swing,  entered  that  "  urbanic  and  extended 
figure,"  Augustus  Alden.  He  is  very  well ;  resides  at  Augusta, 
a  student  at  law.  Adieu,  good  fellow,  adieu, 

D.  WEBSTER, 

Give  me  information  about  my  newspapers,  that  I  may  reim 
burse  your  expenditures  on  the  subject.     Zeke  sends  love. 


MR.    EBENEZER    WEBSTER    TO    HIS    SONS. 

Salisbury,  October  6,  1804. 

DEAR  SONS, — I  received  a  letter  from  you  by  Mr.  Sawyer.  I 
was  very  happy  to  hear  that  you  were  in  good  health.  I  have  a 
sufficient  reason  for  my  not  writing  by  the  last  mail.  A  week 
ago  last  Tuesday,  I  attended  the  funeral  of  Benjamin  Page  ; 
came  home  and  went  to  bed  as  well  as  usual.  About  twelve 
o'clock,  I  was  taken  with  a  violent  pain  in  my  side,  which  termi 
nated  in  a  pleurisy  fever.  I  had  a  physician  sent  for  as  soon  as 
possible.  He  took  some  blood  from  my  arm,  which  gave  me 
some  relief;  but  I  lay  in  this  distressed  situation  until  Thursday, 
before  I  could  be  moved,  even  to  have  my  bed  made.  The 
fever  has  now  abated,  so  that  I  am  able  to  walk  about  a  little. 


188  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Had  I  sent  for  you  when  I  was  first  taken,  I  thought  it  impos 
sible  for  me  to  live  in  such  distress  until  a  messenger  could  get 
half-way  to  Boston ;  if  I  had  written  by  the  mail,  it  might  have 
given  you  anxious  feelings  for  me ;  for  these  reasons  I  have 
omitted  writing  until  now.  I  wish  you  to  write  by  the  next 
mail,  by  all  means.  Your  mother's  health  is  much  better  than 
when  you  left  her,  though  very  poor  now.  We  have  got  our 
new  cider  made,  and  this  day  began  to  gather  our  corn ;  our 
potatoes  are  dug.  I  have  great  reason  to  be  thankful  that  I  am 
able  to  subscribe  myself  your  living  and  affectionate  father. 

EBENEZER  WEBSTER. 


MR.    THOMAS    W.    THOMPSON    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Salisbury,  October  17,  1804. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  returned  from  Haverhill  and  Hanover  last  Sun 
day,  after  an  absence  of  nearly  three  weeks.  Upon  my  return  I 
received  yours  of  the  27th  ultimo. 

Unfortunately  the  rule  of  the  bar  is  as  you  suspect,  and  the 
business  entirely  escaped  my  mind  at  September  court.  I  was 
at  the  court  but  about  an  hour.  I  did  not  attend  October  court 
at  all.  I  feel  criminally  negligent,  and  to  quiet  my  own  mind 
and  make  you  some  amends,  I  have  written  this  day  a  circular 
letter  to  each  gentleman  of  the  bar  in  the  county,  propounding 
you  for  admission,  and  preparing  their  minds  to  dispense  with 
the  letter  of  the  rule,  considering  it  was  established  when  the 
terms  were  three  months  only  apart.  An  association  of  ministers 
meet  this  day  at  Mr.  Worcester's,  and  your  father  has  under 
taken  to  disperse  the  letters  by  the  mail  and  by  those  ministers. 
I  flatter  myself  this  propounding  will  answer  your  purpose.  If 
not,  I  feel  confident  the  court  will  admit  you  without  the  recom 
mendation  of  the  bar.  No  exertion  shall  be  wanting  on  my  part 
to  procure  you  the  recommendation  of  the  bar. 

The  death  of  President  Willard  affected  me  very  sensibly.  I 
not  only  esteemed  and  respected  him  very  highly,  but  I  loved 
him.  My  two  years'  residence  at  Cambridge  as  a  tutor,  gave 
me  an  opportunity  of  knowing  him  perfectly.  To  strangers  his 
address  was  rather  of  the  repellant  sort,  to  his  friends  he  was 
amiable  in  the  highest  degree.  My  opinion  is  that  the  corpora- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  189 

tion  cannot  select  a  more  suitable  person  to  fill  the  vacancy  oc 
casioned  by  his  death  than  Judge  Davis.  If  Judge  Davis  had 
more  dignity  of  person,  his  appearance  would  I  think,  be  more 
presidential.  This  is  a  trifling  exception.  I  can't  help  feeling  a 
strong  attachment  to  my  Alma  Mater,  and  this  attachment,  to 
gether  with  my  general  regard  for  the  interests  of  literature  and 
religion,  creates  a  strong  anxiety  to  have  that  chair  filled  by  the 
very  best  man  that  can  be  had.  The  influence  of  a  President 
of  that  university  may  be  of  incalculable  importance.  Why  is 
not  a  Professor  of  Divinity  chosen  ?  I  v/ish  you  to  unravel  this 
mystery.  I  suspect  the  corporation  have  different  views  upon 
the  subject;  some  wish  for  a  Calvinist,  others  for  an  Arminian. 
I  conjecture  that  the  difficulty  of  supplying  that  vacancy  results 
more  from  something  of  that  kind  than  from  a  lack  of  candidates 
of  respectability,  who  would  accept  the  appointment.  I  wish 
you  to  inform  me. 

I  am  much  pleased  with  the  communications  signed  Mass. 
and  W.1  and  I  can  assure  you  they  have  excited  a  very  interest 
ing  inquiry  for  the  author.  The  former  I  recognized ;  the 
latter  I  had  not  seen  till  after  the  receipt  of  your  letter.  Go  on. 
Catch  every  leisure  mom6nt.  If  pecuniary  compensation  should 
not  follow,  you  will  have  a  satisfaction  of  a  higher  nature. 

It  gave  me  no  small  pleasure  to  learn  that  you  had  found  a 
seat  in  Mr.  Gore's  office,  and  I  made  an  effort,  the  effect  of 
which  I  have  never  learned,  to  interest  Mr.  Gore's  feelings  in 
your  favor.  Mr.  Saml.  Torrey  is  his  brother-in-law,  and  my 
effort  was  directed  through  him. 

I  wish  you  could  persuade  Park  or  some  other  good  soul  to 
preserve  a  volume  of  the  best  eulogies  on  Hamilton.  I  am  con 
fident  a  subscription  for  that  purpose  would  run  well.  The  best 
I  have  seen  are  Nott's,  Mason's,  Otis's,  and  Ames's.  Cheetham's 
ought  not  to  be  omitted. 

If  you  propose  to  pass  the  winter  in  Boston,  I  should  like  to 
know  it  in  order  to  give  you  some  commissions  of  a  trouble 
some  kind.  I  shall  wish  you  to  write  to  me  often,  and  you 
must  pardon  me  if  I  insist  upon  paying  the  postage  upon  my 
own  and  your  letters.  At  some  distant  period  I  shall  not  object 
to  your  paying  your  proportion. 

1  The  Editor  has  not  been  able  to  find  these  communications. 


190  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

1  hope  you  keep  up  your  acquaintance  with  my  friend,  Cap 
tain  Wm.  Parsons.  Say,  how  is  this  ? 

We  have  had  as  yet  very  few  particulars  of  the  destruction 
done  by  the  late  storm  in  your  quarter.  At  that  time  I  was  at 
Hanover  with  my  family,  and  was  obliged  to  remain  there  three 
days  before  I  dared  set  out  for  home,  and  then  I  was  two  days 
and  a  half  travelling  home.  One  person  counted  one  hundred 
and  sixty  trees,  which  were  blown  across  the  turnpike  between 
dough's  in  Enfield  and  Thompson's  in  Andover.  The  snow 
in  the  woods  was  from  one  to  two  feet  deep.  When  I  came 
through  on  Saturday  it  was  upon  an  average  one  foot  deep,  and 
so  solid  as  to  bear  me  for  miles  without  leaving  scarcely  any 
impression  of  my  foot.  We  were  eight  hours  in  the  carriage, 
riding  eighteen  miles.  At  the  Plain,  the  snow  was  about  six 
inches  deep  after  the  storm,  and  very  solid.  The  orchards  and 
woods  through  the  country  have  sustained  immense  damage. 

I  have  for  a  long  time  endeavored  to  purchase,  without  success, 
Roscoe's  Life  of  Lorenzo  de  Medicis.  Will  you  purchase  it  for 
me  and  send  it  up  by  some  of  our  traders  ?  My  wife  has  heard 
much  of  a  novel  called  The  Minstrel,  and  wishes  you  to  pur 
chase  it  for  us.  Please  to  let  me  know  the  prices,  and  I  will 
transmit  you  the  money  by  the  return  of  the  mail. 

Should  you  have  occasion  to  borrow  money,  please  to  let  me 
know  it,  and  if  I  have  it  on  hand  I  will  accommodate  you  with 
it  as  long  as  you  please,  at  six  per  cent,  annually. 

Your  friends  here  are  in  usual  health,  excepting  Mrs.  Had- 
duck,  who  is  quite  unwell  yet. 

My  regards  to  Ezekiel. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  affectionately  yours, 

THOS.  W.  THOMPSON. 

N.  B.  I  wish  you  to  procure  me  a  copy  of  the  act  incorpor 
ating  the  Exchange  Bank,  or  such  parts  of  it  as  will  be  neces 
sary  to  show  the  principles  of  that  institution.  If  it  is  published 
with  the  public  acts,  perhaps  you  can  procure  a  printed  copy, 
and  forward  to  me.  Furnish  me,  if  you  please,  with  any  infor 
mation  you  may  possess  that  will  be  useful  in  understanding 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  conducted. 

Enclosed  is  a  ten  dollar  bill,  for  which  you  will  please  give  me 
credit  towards  the  disbursements  I  have  requested. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  191 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

Boston,  October  17,  1804. 

DEAR  FULLER, — If  it  be  as  cold  at  Augusta  as  it  is  here,  and 
if  you  were  called  up  last  night,  as  I  was,  to  see  a  house  burn 
down,  you  will  wonder  how  I  happen  to  take  a  notion  to  write 
to  you  this  morning.  The  motive  is,  I  have  several  things  to 
say  to  you,  which  I  had  better  say  now  while  they  are  recent. 
Day  before  yesterday  I  had  a  letter  from  brother  Davis ;  all 
finely  at  Hanover ;  pumpkin  pie  and  professors  plenty ;  wheat 
and  poetry  a  good  deal  blasted ;  girls  and  gingerbread  as  sweet 
as  ever.  Last  Sunday  evening,  to-day  is  Wednesday,  I  had 

the  pleasure  of  a  moment's  chat  with .     She  appears 

much  out  of  health,  and  though  she  laughs  as  heartily  as  usual, 
I  suspect  the  good  girl  is  declining.  She  was  here  on  a  short 
visit,  and  has  returned.  I  could  not  parry  several  questions  she 

asked  me  concerning  my  friend ,  and  concerning  certain 

other  things  that  concern  him.  I  was  obliged  to  tell  all  I  knew, 
how  could  a  body  help  it?  One  cannot  get  rid  of  a  lady's 
question  by  evasion ;  she  will  immediately  assail  in  another 
shape ;  she  will  know  the  truth  and  the  whole  truth.  Even  if  I 
had  the  honor  of  being  interrogated  by  a  female  with  respect  to 
any  affair  of  my  own,  I  should  recite  the  facts  and  answer  her 
questions  in  as  simple  and  plain  a  style  as  John  Bunyan's ;  for 
I  hold  it  an  established  point,  that  when  a  woman  has  a  right 
to  know  a  thing,  you  cannot  content  her  with  any  thing  short 
of  the  whole  matter. 


Once  or  twice  I  have  had  the  honor  of  bowing  to  Miss  Paine 
in  the  streets.  Possibly,  it  may  be  well  that  I  am  not  in  a  way 
to  cultivate  the  acquaintance  to  which  you  introduced  me.  She 
might  perhaps  write  her  name  upon  my  heart  as  fairly  as  I  can 
write  it  upon  paper.  Yet  that  would  not  be  a  singular  case, 
for  there  has  been  many  a  lover  before  me,  who  has  had  Pain  in 
his  heart. 

Freeborn  has  written  me  a  very  pretty  letter.  He  likes  every 
thing  in  Carolina  except  the  ribs;  those  he  thinks  poorly 
polished.  Charles  Gilbert  has  been  in  town  since  you  were 


192  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

here.     His  health  is  very  low,  but  he  flatters  himself  that  it  is 
mending. 

********** 

I  owe  you  one  dollar  and  ten  cents,  and  interest  three  years ; 
this  shall  be  as  good  as  a  note  for  it  till  it  is  paid. 

Make  my  best  respects  and  present  my  best  wishes  to  Miss  G. 
I  am  not  the  less  interested  in  the  welfare  of  a  good  woman, 
because  her  welfare  is  a  part  of  the  happiness  of  my  friend 
Fuller. 

Adieu,  my  dear  Sir, — Adieu. 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Worcester,  Tuesday  Evening,  November  5,  1804. 

DEAR  ZEKE, — So  far  so  well.  -Mr.  Chamberlain  thinks  of 
setting  out  this  week  for  Canaan,  N.  H. 

The  object  of  this  is  to  request  you  to  go  to  him  and  beg  him 
not  to  say  to  anybody  in  or  about  Salisbury,  that  I  am  gone  on 
this  journey.  I  forgot  it — You  will  find  some  cash  with  him, 
unless  you  have  got  it. 

Adieu.    If  I  go  to  Connecticut  River,  I  will  write  you  thence. 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  TO  EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 

Springfield,  November  9,  1804. 

DEAR  ZEKE, — I  write  to  fulfil  my  promise,  and  not  for  the 
purpose  of  disburdening  myself  of  the  history  of  any  events 
which  have  happened  on  the  road.  In  travelling  from  Worcester 
to  Albany,  the  direct  path  is  through  Northampton;  yet  one 
may  go  by  way  of  Springfield,  if  he  will.  "  For  which  reason  we 
resolved  to  go  by  Springfield."  Don't  impeach  the  strength  of 
this  motive.  It  is  not  solely  on  a  journey  performed  in  a  post- 
chaise  that  caprice  chalks  out  the  route.  'Tis  the  same  on  the 
journey  of  life. 

We  are  below  Northampton  some  twenty  miles,  and  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river ;  ten  miles  south  of  this  is  the  north  line 


DANIEL   WEBSTEK.  193 

of  the  land  of  "  Steady  Habits."  Riding  from  Boston  here,  is 
just  like  riding  through  New  Hampshire  and  Vermont.  The 
same  prospects,  the  same  people,  the  same  modes  and  manners 
of  life.  An  uneven,  mountainous  surface  extends  from  the  neigh 
borhood  of  Boston  to  within  ten  miles  of  this  place.  These  ten 
miles  are  measured  over  a  dead,  flat  plain,  covered  with  pitch 
pines.  In  my  course  hitherto  I  have  met  with  nothing  novel 
or  unusual  to  me,  if  I  except  a  toasting-iron,  which  I  saw  at 
Brookfield.  Ardent  of  knowledge  and  desirous  of  making  the 
most  of  my  travels,  I  seized  my  pencil,  "warm  and  glowing" 
like  the  object,  and  sketched  a  likeness  of  this  toaster  on  a  leaf 
of  my  pocket-book. 

This  day  is  a  very  snowing  one.  We  shall  be  embargoed  if  the 
weather  does  not  change  soon.  It  not  only  confines  us  to  this 
town,  but  even  to  the  house.  I  can  see  nothing.  I  recollect 
of  hearing  father  speak  often  of  the  marvellous  elm  trees  in 
Springfield.  I  intended  to  enclose  two  or  three  of  the  largest 
and  handsomest  of  them  in  this  letter,  for  your  use ;  and  ten 
minutes  ago  sallied  out  with  great  coat  and  umbrella,  in  order 
to  examine  them ;  but  the  storm  drove  me  into  the  house  again 
before  I  had  gotten  three  rods  from  the  door  stone.  I  shall, 
however,  keep  the  said  trees  in  my  mind,  and  visit  them  the 
moment  it  leaves  snowing. 

Here  is  before  me  the  oddest  picture  I  ever  noticed.  I  know 
not  what  it  is  designed  to  represent ;  but  I  believe  it  must  be 
Venus  and  some  female  attendants  taming  some  Cupids.  The 
old  lady  has  one  of  her  sons  in  a  cage,  out  of  which  he  is  stick 
ing  his  nose  and  lamenting  like  a  thrush.  She  has  another  fast 
by  one  wing,  while  he  flutters  in  the  air  like  a  wounded  par 
tridge  ;  and,  as  we  suppose,  exclaiming  most  dolefully.  One  of 
the  attendants  has  another  little  god  between  her  knees,  and 
while  his  lower  extremities  are  thus  confined,  he  is  striving  and 
fluttering  like  a  bird,  which  endeavors  to  rise  with  a  strap  at  its 
legs.  Now,  I  suspect  that  on  paper  all  these  make  but  a  poor 
show ;  but  they  look  well  on  canvas ;  and  if  you  will  not  believe 
me,  you  may  come  and  see. 

Thank  the  storm  for  this  letter ;  for  had  the  weather  been  fair 
I  should  this  moment  have  been  rolling  on  to  the  "  high  houses, 
with  the  gable  ends  towards  the  street." 

D.  WEBSTER. 
VOL.  i.  17 


194 


PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Boston,  November  30,  1804. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — Having  been  absent  from  town  some 
weeks,  yours  of  October  20,  did  not  reach  my  hand  till  day  be 
fore  yesterday.  All  that  I  know  about  "evanescent  subtenses" 
or  "  conterminous  arches  "  might  be  collected  on  the  pupil  of  a 
gnat's  eye,  without  making  him  wink.  This,  however,  I  know, 
that  my  friendship  for  Merrill  is  a  sentiment  in  no  degree  evan 
escent,  an  arch  both  ends  of  which  rest  in  the  foundation  of  my 
heart.  I  was  sadly  grieved  that  you  did  not  write  me  sooner. 
My  heart  suggested  a  thousand  excuses.  "  Merrill  is  busy ;  new 
employments  fill  up  all  his  time ;  he  is  making  his  acquaintances, 
and  has  much  visiting  to  do ;"  but  I  never  suspected  that  you 
were  ignorant  of  the  place  of  my  residence.  W.  Woodward, 
Esquire,  made  me  your  compliments  just  before  I  left  Salisbury, 
and  in  your  behalf  asked  me  where  a  letter  would  find  me.  I 
told  him  Boston.  As  Dr.  Perkins  and  my  brother  were  at 
Commencement,  I  took  it  for  granted  you  knew  that  I  was  in 
this  marvellous  town.  So  much  for  explanation.  I  am  now 
here,  believe  me ;  you  are  at  Middlebury ;  and  let  us  take  care  to 
remind  each  other  of  these  facts  often.  Now  hear  me  talk  a 
little  about  myself.  I  am  in  the  office  of  Christopher  Gore,  Esq., 
who  has  lately  returned  from  London,  where  he  has  resided  for 
eight  years,  as  an  American  commissioner,  to  settle  commercial 
claims  between  the  two  nations.  He  is  a  lawyer  of  eminence, 
and  a  deep  and  various  scholar.  Since  I  left  John  Wheelock,  I 
have  found  no  man  so  indefatigable  in  research.  He  has  great 
amenity  of  manners,  is  easy,  accessible,  and  communicative,  and, 
take  him  ah1  in  all,  I  could  not  wish  a  better  preceptor.  My 
acquaintance  here  does  not  extend  very  far.  It  were  much 
easier  for  me  to  form  connections  than  to  support  them.  There 
are  many  young  men  of  my  own  age  with  whom  it  would  be 
easy  to  associate ;  but  a  young  man  who  has  a  fortune  to  spend, 
is  not  a  proper  companion  for  another  who  has  a  fortune  to 
make.  There  are,  however,  some  families  into  which  I  have 
free  ingress  here.  I  resort  sometimes  to  play  backgammon  with 
the  girls,  in  order  to  keep  off  the  glooms, 


DANIEL  WEBSTER,  195 

"  With  speech  so  sweet,  so  sweet  a  mien, 
They  excommunicate  the  spleen." 

There  are  many  fellows  in  this  town  from  abroad,  who  like 
myself  fall  under  the  general  class  of  adventurers.  Some  for 
knowledge,  some  for  fame,  and  some  for  cash.  A  similarity  of 
pursuits  attaches  these  to  each  other ;  and,  if  I  must  say  the 
truth,  I  think  they  are  rather  envied  than  despised  by  the  natives 
of  the  peninsula.  You  would  be  astonished  at  the  portion  of 
the  active  business  of  .the  place,  of  every  kind,  that  is  done  by 
men  who  moved  here  from  the  country.  Yet,  as  far  as  my  cir 
cumstances  will  admit,  'tis  my  endeavor  to  become  acquainted 
with  the  aboriginal  Bostonians.  It  is  not  the  locality  of  the 
town,  it  is  not  a  sight  of  Beacon  Hill,  or  the  Long  Wharf,  that 
renders  Boston  useful  as  a  place  of  residence  for  a  stranger ;  but 
the  conversation,  the  acquaintance,  the  connection,  the  intimacy 
which  one  has  with  the  Boston  folks.  An  English  lord,  when 
he  travels  to  view  the  continent,  carries  with  him  English  com 
panions,  English  servants,  and  English  books.  He  will  stop 
nowhere  but  at  an  English  inn,  and  converse  with  nobody  but 
his  countrymen.  How  superlatively  ridiculous  this  is !  What 
use  is  there  in  going  to  France,  if  he  must  carry  England  with 
him  ?  Now  this  is  quite  too  much  the  case  with  young  gentle 
men  who  come  here  from  the  country  to  read  professions.  They 
associate  together;  they  almost  invariably  fall  into  the  same 
boarding-houses ;  and  of  the  manners  of  Boston  folks  they  catch 
none  hardly  of  the  spirit ;  of  their  habits  they  learn  few  beside 
the  bad  ones. 

Dear  MerriD,  I  reciprocate  your  wishes  for  a  meeting  most 
cordially.  Why  were  not  you  at  Cambridge  Commencement? 
I  explored  every  countenance  I  met,  with  the  strictest  scrutiny, 
to  see  if  I  could  not  make  M.'s  face  out  of  it,  but  M.'s  face  was 
gone  to  Middlebury.  Of  the  heart  and  the  heart's  concerns  I 
can  say  nothing,  for  want  of  room  to  say  enough.  Merrill,  if  in 
your  walks  you  should  happen  to  meet  with  Wisdom  and  Folly, 
in  whose  hands  should  you  look  for  the  sceptre  of  this  world  ? 
For  my  part,  I  deny  mente  et  lingua,  pugnis  et  calcibus,  unguibus 
ct  rostro,  the  old  Grecian  definition  of  human  nature.  "  Animal, 
bipes,  imp/umis,  rationalis  ;"  so  says  Plato  of  Man.  I  contradict 
him  ;  and  to  put  the  thing  beyond  doubt,  I  will  write  my  verdict 
in  poetry  of  the  most  sublime  kind, — -favetc  Musce — audi  Merrill ! 


196  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

What  nonsense  lurked  within  the  pate,  oh ! 

Of  definition-making  Plato, 

Who  sang  in  philosophic  metre 

"  Man  is  a  rational  and  biped  creature  ?  " 

Many  do  think,  and  so  do  I, 

Old  codger,  that  you — told — a  lie  ; 

And  yet,  perhaps,  you  surly  lout, 

There  is  a  hole  where  you'll  creep  out ; 

Males  you  call  rational,  but  no  man 

E'er  heard  you  say  the  same  of  woman ! 

Yet  I  do  believe  we  are  pretty  much  alike.  I  should  rejoice  to 
chat  with  you,  and  inquire  and  inform  about  all  matters  and 
things.  Pray  write  me  all  you  know  about  Hanover,  and  write 
me  as  soon  as  you  receive  this.  A  letter  in  four  or  five  months 
is  four  or  five  times  too  seldom.  Adieu. 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MISS    SALLY    WEBSTER   TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Salisbury,  December  21,  1804. 

DEAR  BROTHER, — With  pleasure  I  can  now  inform  you  that 
your  friends  in  this  place  are  all  in  good  health,  except  Mrs. 
Hadduck,  who  is  very  unwell,  but  we  think  her  some  better  than 
when  we  wrote  before.  Before  we  received  your  letters  by  the 
mail,  we  heard  that  you  were  gone  to  New  York,  with  a  gen 
tleman,  at  the  moderate  price  of  seven  dollars  a  day  for  your 
company.  It  seems,  Daniel,  that  your  company  is  very  agree 
able  in  Boston,  as  well  as  in  Salisbury.  We  should  all  be  will 
ing  to  give  as  much  to  see  you  in  this  town,  if  we  had  the  change 
as  handy  as  you  have  in  Boston.  I  cannot  think  of  any  news 
to  write  to  you  about  at  present ;  the  people  here  move  on  in 
the  same  old  way  as  when  you  were  here.  Sometimes  we  have 
junkets,  sometimes  we  have  freewillers'  meetings.  I  had  almost 
forgotten  to  do  my  errand  to  you.  A  gentleman  called  here  the 
other  day,  and  asked  me  if  my  brother  Daniel  was  then  in  Bos 
ton,  and  if  I  had  heard  from  him  lately  ;  and  he  would  have  me 
by  all  means  write  to  you  and  send  his  most  profound  respects, 
as  his  regard  for  you  was  very  great.  I  asked  him  to  sit  down, 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  197 

but  he  could  not  tarry  a  moment  longer  than  to  do  his  errand. 
I  have  now  done  mine,  and  if  you  can  ever  find  him  out  or  tell 
me  what  his  name  is,  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  know,  as  T  never  saw 
the  man  before,  or  any  thing  that  looked  like  him.  Before  I 
have  finished  my  nonsense,  I  must  tell  you  that  our  neighbors, 
opposite  the  door,  fought  a  duel  the  other  day,  one  with  the 
gridiron,  the  other  with  a  candlestick.  The  female,  however, 
came  off  victoriously,  and  he,  with  all  speed,  ran  here  for  some 
lint  and  rum,  to  be  applied  immediately,  for  he  was  bleeding  to 
death  with  a  wound  in  his  head,  caused  by  the  gridiron.  I  fear 
you  will  now  say  :  "  If  Salisbury  females  fight  with  such  weap 
ons  as  gridirons,  it  is  best  for  me  to  stay  where  I  am,"  and  by 
that  means  we  shall  not  see  you  this  winter.  I  hope  Ezekiel  will 
write  soon  if  he  is  not  too  much  engaged  in  his  school.  We  have 
no  school  here  now,  but  expect  one  soon.  Moses  will  go  all  the 
time.  Do  write  every  opportunity,  and  consider  that  if  my  letters 
are  not  agreeable  to  you,  yours  are  both  pleasing  and  instructive 
to  me.  Mother  sends  her  love  to  you  both,  and  thanks  you  for 
your  wishes  to  send  her  a  present,  but  as  she  is  in  no  present 
want  of  any  thing  you  can  get,  she  will  not  trouble  you  for  any 
thing  now.  I  must  now  end  my  letter  by  subscribing  myself 
your  friend  and  often  obliged  sister, 

SALLY  WEBSTER. 

[Postscript  dictated  by  Judge  Webster  to  his  daughter,  and 
signed  by  him.] 

DEAR  SONS, — Governor  Oilman  has  called  on  me  for  money. 
He  has  a  large  payment  to  make  out  soon,  and  wishes  my  assist 
ance.  If  you  can  hire  me  forty  or  fifty  pounds,  at  Boston,  and 
send  it  on  by  the  next  mail,  I  will  return  it  as  soon  as  I  can.  Per 
haps  I  cannot  before  March  court.  I  can  settle  with  Mr.  White- 
house  without  troubling  you,  but  I  cannot  make  out  for  the 
governor  as  I  should  be  glad  to,  unless  I  can  hire  some  money. 
Nathaniel  Webster  would  like  to  take  your  horse  and  sleigh  and 
meet  you  at  Dunstable,  or  go  on  to  Boston,  if  you  think  it  best, 
and  will  write  to  us  when  you  wish  to  leave  Boston.  We  re 
ceived  a  very  acceptable  present  from  you,  which  makes  us  very 
comfortable  this  cold  \veather.  As  to  the  place  of  your  settle 
ment  you  must  determine  for  yourself.  Esquire  Bowers,  Mr. 
17* 


198  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Greenleaf,  and  others,  are  very  anxious  to  have  you  at  the  Centre 
road.  "Write  by  the  next  mail  whether  you  can  obtain  the 
money  or  not. 

EBN.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Dear  Boston,  January  2,  1805. 

DEAR  SQUIRE, — A  letter  from  you  always  gives  me  two  happy 
half  hours,  one  when  it  is  received,  and  another  when  it  is  an 
swered.  Figure  to  yourself,  then,  a  large  room  in  the  third  story 
of  a  brick  building,  in  the  centre  of  Boston,  a  sea-coal  fire,  and  a 
most  enormous  writing-table  with  half  a  cord  of  books  on  it. 
Then  figure  further  to  yourself  your  most  obedient,  with  his 
back  to  the  fire,  and  his  face  to  the  table,  writing  by  candlelight, 
and  you  will  precisely  see  a  "  happy  fellow."  There,  now,  is  a 
famous  dash  at  description  !  Now  let  me  try  my  talents  at  nar 
ration.  Well,  then,  on  the  fifth  day  of  November,  being  election 
day,  at  just  twenty-seven  minutes  and  a  half  past  twelve,  I  left 
Mrs.  Whitwell's,  Court  street,  Boston,  and  on  the  twenty-eighth 
day  of  the  same  month,  at  one  o'clock,  p.  M.,  arrived  at  the  same 
Mrs.  Whitwell's,  in  the  same  Court  street.  You  can  easily  de 
termine,  from  the  above  account,  where  I  went ! !  If,  however, 
you  should  be  puzzled,  I  will  tell  you ;  to  Albany.  Yes,  James,  I 
have  even  been  to  Albany.  I  cannot  now  tell  you  why,  nor  for 
what,  but  it  was  in  a  hackney  coach,  with  a  pair  of  nimble  trot 
ters,  a  smart  coachman  before,  and  a  footman  on  horseback  be 
hind.  There's  style  for  you !  More  than  all  this,  I  had  my  friend 
at  my  elbow.  Now  why  the  deuce  must  I  ruin  this  account  by 
informing  you  that  it  was  a  male  friend  ?  Yet  this  regard  to 
truth  must  be  kept  up,  though  it  is  a  shackling  thing.  Well,  to 
proceed :  my  expenses  were  all  amply  paid,  and  on  my  return, 
I  put  my  hand  in  my  pocket,  and  found  one  hundred  and  twenty 
dear  delightfuls !  Is  not  that  good  luck  ?  And  these  dear  delight- 
fuls  were,  'pon  honor,  all  my  own ;  yes,  every  dog  of  'em.  Now 
don't  you  think  I  would  jump  to  go  to  Albany  again  ?  But  to 
be  serious.  I  really  went  to  Albany,  in  November,  with  a  gen 
tleman  of  this  town,  for  which  I  received  the  above  reward; 
and  I'm  so  proud  to  have  a  dollar  of  my  own,  I  was  determined 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  199 

to  tell  you  of  it.     Of  my  journey  and  all  that  I  saw  and  heard,  I 
cannot  give  you  a  particular  account  now. 

At  Hartford,  I  saw  Simeon  Lyman.  He  is  a  merchant.  I 
dared  not  go  to  see  Fanny  ;  though  I  would  not  for  any  thing 
have  her  know  that  I  passed  so  near  her.  Do  you  ever  hear 
from  her  ?  How  is  she  ?  Does  she  mention  my  name  in  her 
letters  to  you  ?  At  Providence  I  saw  Nye,  who  is  a  student  at 
law ;  and  Whitaker,  who  is  a  husband  and  a  practitioner.  On 
my  journey,  I  met  with  F.  Hunt,  at  a  tavern.  He  is  settled  in 
Hampshire  county,  Mass.,  not  far  from  the  line  of  Connecticut. 

"Well,  my  dear  friend,  I  rejoice  that  you  are  settled  under  cir 
cumstances  so  promising ;  you  have  passed  the  crisis ;  you 
lived  through  the  hour  of  anxiety  and  uncertainty,  and  you  see 
before  you  a  respectable  living.  I  rejoice ;  and  while  you  pros 
per,  I  will  rejoice.  I  expect  to  be  admitted  in  March,  at  Amherst, 
or  in  April,  here.  'Tis  not  true  that  I  determined  to  open  an 
office  here.  I  have  no  thought  of  it.  I  thank  you  for  the  infor 
mation  you  give  me  about  Cheshire  County.  At  present,  I 
incline  to  think  it  not  unlikely  that  I  shall  go  to  some  of  the 
places  you  mention.  But  before  three  months  expire,  some 
body  may  pop  into  them  all ;  there  is  no  knowing.  Do  let  me 
hear  from  you  often,  and  believe  me  yours,  firm  and  strong. 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

Boston,  March  10,  1805. 

DEAR  FULLER, — Whenever  I  see  the  face  of  Mr.  Whitwell,  I  am 
reminded  of  my  duty.  For  two  months,  he  has  been  a  standing 
monitor,  notifying  me  every  time  I  enter  the  State  House,  to 
write  to  Fuller.  Not  that  he  has  ever  spoken  to  me,  or  I  to  him, 
but  that  he  always  brings  you  to  my  mind ;  and  being  remem 
bered,  you  call  on  me  for  an  answer  to  your  last.  Since  I  saw 
you,  I  have  flown  to  Albany  ;  rested  my  wing  for  a  while,  and 
next  perched  at  Hudson ;  oiled  my  feathers  there,  and  proceeded 
to  Hartford  and  Providence,  and  after  cooing  and  chattering  with 
Nye  and  Whitaker,  fluttered  into  Boston.  Shortly  after,  the  ill 
health  of  my  father  summoned  me  to  Salisbury.  I  went,  had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  him  recover,  took  his  blessing,  and  hied 


200  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

back  again.  In  two  weeks  I  again  put  myself  in  motion,  and 
like  Noah's  dove,  shall  flutter,  with  faint  and  wearied  wing,  over 
the  deluge  of  this  world,  seeking  for  rest.  In  some  country  town 
in  New  Hampshire  I  shall  probably  put  off  my  character  of  a 
rover,  and  fix  my  feet  for  a  season.  Having  been  for  the  winter 
a  wandering  comet,  in  the  spring  I  become  a  falling  star,  and 
shall  drop  from  the  firmament  of  Boston  gayety  and  pleasure, 
to  the  level  of  a  rustic  village,  of  silence  and  of  obscurity.  From 
this  village,  however,  wherever  it  is  situated,  the  voice  of  friend 
ship  will  issue ;  you  will  hear  my  accents  and  be  invited  to 
answer  to  them.  In  the  meanwhile,  wish  me  well,  as  the  only 
service  you  can  for  the  present  render  me. 

The  discussion  you  had  with  the  "  five  ladies  in  Boston,"  on 
the  question  whether  Mr.  W.  was  a  «  plain  man,"  must  have  been, 
I  think,  very  edifying.  It  requires,  certainly,  a  vast  variety  of 
knowledge  to  manage  this  question  creditably.  You  must,  for 
instance,  know  geometry ;  for  how  could  you  speak  of  the  angles 
of  his  phiz,  unless  you  understood  decagons  and  rhomboides  ? 
And  chemistry,  and  sculpture,  and  architecture,  and  gardening 
would  all  be  necessary.  If,  however,  you  will  admit  the  reason 
ing  of  Granger,  the  Parisian,  I  can  easily  prove  that  I  am  the 
handsomest  man  in  New  England.  This  is  the  process :  Boston 
is  the  handsomest  town  in  New  England ;  Tremont  is  the  hand 
somest  street  in  Boston  ;  Scollay's  are  the  handsomest  buildings 
in  Tremont  street ;  Christopher  Gore's  office  is  the  handsomest 
room  in  Scollay's  buildings :  and  I  am  (now)  the  handsomest 
man  in  Christopher  Gore's  office,  ergo,  I  am  the  handsomest 
man  in  New  England ;  Q.  E.  D.  Now  if  this  cause  stands  over 
for  second  argument,  I  shall  entreat  my  counsel  to  make  use  of 
this  reasoning.  We  had  fine  fun  here  of  "  Allen's  motion  ; "  the 
poor  fellow  now  sits  in  his  seat,  still  as  a  sitting  hen ;  scathed 
and  blistered  by  the  thunderbolts  that  knocked  him  down,  he 
has  such  a  dread  of  making  motions,  that  he  seems  afraid  to 

move  his  limbs.    is  acquitted.    So  much  for and ; 

so  much  for and  the  devil.  These  four  illustrious  person 
ages  I  consider  the  real  agents  in  the  whole  business ;  thougl 
perhaps  not  in  equal  degrees,  for  I  take  it  the  last-mentionec 
gentleman  has  more  modesty  than  to  come  in  for  an  equal  share. 
If  the  devil  has  any  regard  for  truth,  he  must  confess  that,  at  the 

head  of Club,  either  of  the  other  gentlemen  is  much  more 

of  a  devil  than  himself. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  201 

Make  a  low  bow  for  me  to  Miss  G.,  and  assure  her  I  esteem 
her  for  your  sake  and  her  own. 

Yours  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Boston,  March  10,  1805. 

DEAR  MERRILL, — You  did  not  knock  at  our  office  door. 
"  Come  in,"  said  I,  the  moment  my  ear  informed  me  that  any 
knuckle  was  in  contact  with  the  panel.  "  Come  in,"  said  I 
many  times,  when  the  knock  existed  only  in  my  imagination. 
But  Merrill  came  not.  Well,  "pie  fata  decernunt,"  I  shaU  now 
never  see  the  rogue  in  Boston.  'Tis  no  matter  ;  I  shall  see  him 
somewhere  else.  I  write  you  this,  to  inform  you  that  you  need 
not  write  me  until  you  hear  from  me  again.  I  shall  leave  this 
town  in  twelve  days,  and  that  part  of  terra  firma  where  I  shall 
next  perch  is  at  present  terra  incognita.  If,  however,  it  should 
be  within  mail-shot  of  Otter  Creek,  I  will  salute  you  from  my 
new  residence  immediately. 

So  Merrill  has  preached.  I  congratulate  you  on  having  en 
tered  your  profession.  The  moment  when  we  first  make  trial 
of  our  talents  in  that  employment  which  we  have  chosen  for 
life,  is  a  most  solemn  one.  What  conflicts,  what  alternate  tri 
umphs  between  the  rival  powers  of  Hope  and  Fear !  Feeling 
all  these  myself,  I  heartily  rejoice  that  you  have  got  over  them 
and  made  a  beginning.  I  only  saw  Professor  Shurtleff  in  pub 
lic,  and  had  no  opportunity  of  asking  him  how  Merrill  appeared 
in  the  desk.  But  I  have  no  fears ;  'tis  not  for  friends  to  flatter ; 
but  I  am  sure  you  will  do  well.  Now  perhaps  you  would  say 
something  like  this  to  me.  Poor  human  nature!  How  entirely 
sure  we  are  and  easy  about  everybody's  fortune  but  our  own. 

As  it  is  a  principal  object  in  the  correspondence  of  scholars  to 
commune  together  on  their  studies  and  pursuits,  I  should  now 
be  very  glad  to  rehearse  to  you  a  long  list  of  corpulent  volumes 
which  I  have  read,  and  inform  you  of  new  regions  of  literature 
which  I  have  explored.  But  alas,  alas !  if  I  except  a  few  slender 
and  lean  professional  books,  the  rest  and  residue  of  my  reading 
Would  make  a  sorry  account.  I  could  hardly  get  beyond  item 


202  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

the  second.  Gifford's  Juvenal  has  amused  me  for  some  evenings. 
Gibbon's  Life  and  posthumous  works,  Moore's  Travels  in  France 
and  Italy,  et  pauca  alia  similia,  have  rescued  me  from  the  con 
demnation  of  doing  nothing.  At  present,  I  am  earnest  in  the 
study  of  the  French  language,  and  can  now  translate  about  as 
much,  for  a  task,  as  we  could  of  Tully  in  our  Freshman  year. 

Political  altercation  is  very  warm  here,  both  within  the  legis 
lature  and  without.  Mr.  Allen,  a  Democratic  member  of  the 
House,  made  a  motion  to  dismiss  the  State  printers  from  their 
employment  for  publishing  some  gross  reflections  on  Mr.  Jeffer 
son.  The  orator  was  proceeding  with  great  zeal  to  represent 
the  sin  of  this  conduct  in  the  printers,  when  one  of  the  Federal 
ists  arose  and  knocked  him  down  with  an  unexpected  thunder 
bolt.  He  produced  proofs  and  documents  to  establish  all  the 
charges  made  in  the  paper.  But  you  have  seen  all  this  in  the 
newspapers.  You  did  not  tell  me  any  thing  of  our  friend 

M y  "W d.     Pray  who  is  to  lead  her  off?     I  hear  nothing 

of  those  things  here ;  inform  me  if  you  know.  Dear  damsel ;  I 
should  like  once  more  to  survey  her  tenement  of  clay,  and  listen 
to  the  accents  dictated  by  the  inhabitant  within.  But  when, 
or  where,  or  whether  at  all,  all  is  uncertain.  Yes,  every  thing  is 
uncertain  except  one  thing,  which  is  that  I  am  your  sincere 
friend.  D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Bosca-wen,  April  25,  1805. 

DEAR  BROTHER, — I  had  learned  the  loss  of  my  money  from 
Mr.  Fifield's  own  mouth,  whom  I  happened  to  see  in  Newbury- 
port,  before  the  reception  of  yours.  I  am  far  from  feeling  any 
uneasy  sensations  on  that  account.  It  was  mere  misfortune, 
nobody  is  to  blame ;  the  sum  was  eighty-five  dollars. 

I  believe  that  in  writing  a  hasty  epistle  to  D.  Abbott,  and 
another  to  yourself,  last  Saturday,  I  sent  yours  to  him  and  his  to 
you.  You  were  probably  perplexed  to  understand  what  you 
received.  Father's  ill  health  and  other  circumstances  induced 
me  to  take  a  stand  here.  My  prospects  of  business  are  moderate 
at  present. 

It  is  utterly  out  of  my  power  to  repair  the  loss  of  eighty-five 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  203 

dollars.  I  hired  that  money  of  a  friend  in  Salisbury,  and  cannot, 
as  I  know,  hire  a  like  sum.  My  hopes  from  T.  W.  T.  all  failed. 

If  Mr.  Parker1  can  be  persuaded  to  retain  the  books  till  next 
week,  I  will  write  you  again,  and  inform  you  whether  there 
exists  a  probability  of  my  being  able  to  take  them.  My  trunk 
of  clothes  I  will  thank  you  to  put  into  Bancroft's  stage-coach,  and 
send  to  D.  A.'s  office  in  Dunstable.  He  will  forward  it  to  me 
by  a  stage-coach,  which  runs  from  Dunstable  to  this  place. 
Please  to  coil  a  rope  or  line  round  the  trunk  to  prevent  it  from 
bursting;  see  it  in  the  coach  yourself;  tell  Bancroft  I  am  an 
old  customer,  and  he  must  be  very  careful  about  it. 

I  do  not  think  there  is  any  chance  of  my  getting  Mr.  Parker's 
money.  I  will  however  try,  and  write  you  again  by  the  mail, 
which  arrives  in  Boston  Saturday,  next  week.  Folks  at  Salis 
bury  are  all  well  as  usual.  Father  is  getting  abroad  cleverly. 

Adieu,  D.  W. 

P.  S.  Thursday  Evening.  Since  writing  this  letter,  I  have 
been  to  Hopkinton  and  have  just  returned.  I  cannot  say  that  I 
have  a  prospect  of  forwarding  the  money  for  my  books.  In 
June  I  expect  to  be  in  Boston.  If  in  your  opinion  it  is  best, 
you  may  pay  Mr.  Parker  his  outsets  and  break  up  the  bargain ; 
or  if  you  can  find  any  one  who  is  fool  enough  to  lend  you  the 
money  till  June,  and  you  think  you  can  make  out  a  part  of  the 
money  then,  you  may  send  me  the  books,  and  you  shall  own 
the  proportion  for  which  you  pay.  However,  I  have  no  expecta 
tion  of  this  kind.  I  have  seen  Fletcher  to-day.  He  is  earnest  to 
make  a  bargain  with  you ;  and  on  the  whole,  I  incline  to  think 
you  had  better  make  up  your  mind  to  that  purpose.  My  business 
is  worth  a  little.  I  believe  I  earn  my  daily  bread.  With  a  pre 
mium,  it  might  possibly  be  effected  that  Mr.  Parker,  with  Mr. 
Thacher's  security,  would  wait  all  June  for  his  money ;  could 
you  in  that  case  make  out  a  part  of  it  ?  Try  Parker,  and  if  so, 
I  will,  being  notified,  write  to  Mr.  Thacher  on  the  subject. 

"Write  to  me  every  week  for  the  present.  B ,  your  eight 

dollar  friend,  is  not  heard  of.  The  opinion  prevalent  is,  that  he 
was  a  spirit,  come  from  the  "  vasty  deep,"  for  some  unknown 
purpose.  The  academy  has  walked  down  to  the  south  road. 

1  Samuel  H.  Parker,  Esq.,  now  living,  in  good  health.  He  has  stated  to  the 
Editor  that  he  remembers  the  matter  of  the  books  very  well. 


204  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Mr.  Eastman  has  undertaken  to  keep  a  grammar  school  going 
in  it  ten  years,  on  condition  the  neighbors  will  board  for  seven 
shillings  and  sixpence  the  week.  Mr.  Fifield's  family  felt  pretty 
sensibly  Jonathan's  misfortune ;  but  I  believe  are  now  reconciled 
to  it. 

Fol  de  dol,  dol  de  dol,  di  dol ; 

I'll  never  make  money  my  idol ; 

For  away  our  dollars  will  fly  all. 

With  my  friend  and  my  pitcher, 

I'm  twenty  times  richer, 

Than  if  I  made  money  my  idol ; 

Fol  de  dol,  dol  de  dol,  di  dol! 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boscawen,  April  30,  1805. 

DEAR  ZEKE, — As  yet  I  find  it  not  in  my  power  to  procure  any 
money  for  the  purpose  of  paying  for  my  books.  I  therefore  am 
under  the  necessity  of  requesting  you  to  make  my  peace  with 
Mr.  Parker.  Give  him  something,  if  aught  you  have  to  give, 
to  indemnify  him  for  his  trouble  and  expense,  and  ask  him  to  put 
the  books  again  on  his  shelves.  In  the  course  of  the  summer 
perhaps  I  might  find  a  chance  to  procure  the  cash ;  but  prob 
ably  he  would  be  unwilling  to  keep  the  books  any  longer  in 
uncertainty.  The  books  which  I  own,  he  will  give  to  you,  and 
you  may,  at  some  convenient  time,  send  them  to  me.  Consider 
ing  your  circumstances,  I  do  not  imagine  it  to  be  in  your  power 
to  borrow  the  cash  for  a  couple  of  months  in  Boston.  If  you 
should  providentially  light  on  a  chance,  and  it  should  be  neces 
sary  to  procure  a  surety,  be  pleased  to  carry  this  letter  to  my 
friend,  Mr.  Thacher,  and  I  think  he  will  be  friendly  in  the  case, 
as  I  have  in  many  instances  found  him  so  before. 

My  residence  here  is  tolerably  pleasant.  I  live  with  Mr. 
French.  Some  little  business  is  done  here,  and  I  get  a  part. 
In  time,  perhaps,  I  shall  gratify  my  moderate,  rational  wishes. 

Mr.  Putney  has  failed.  Mr.  I) is  convalescent  from  his 

sickness  of  the  purse,  and  expects  to  be  in  business  again  soon. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  205 

Mr.  Lovejoy  will  shortly  occupy  the  store  in  which  Mr.  Putney 
traded. 

At  Salisbury,  the  folks  are  in  usual  health.  Father  is  much 
better  than  in  the  winter.  N.  Webster  keeps  school  in  his  own 
district ;  his  health  is  tolerable.  Pray  write  me  often ;  without 
books  and  with  little  business,  I  have  much  leisure  to  peruse 
and  answer  letters. 

Make  my  love  to  my  friends. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  Since  sealing  this,  my  books  have  arrived  all  safe.  I 
owe  Mr.  Parker  many  thanks  for  his  friendly  conduct  respecting 
them.  I  do  not  find  a  list  or  bill  of  prices  of  the  books  among 
them.  I  wish  you  would  ask  him  for  it,  and  enclose  it  to  me. 
I  shall  take  true  care  that  the  contract  within  be  punctually 
fulfilled. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  May  3,  1805. 

GOOD  DANIEL, — In  one  of  my  late  letters  I  requested  some 
particular  information  respecting  the  probable  conditions  on 
which  the  clerk's  office  might  be  obtained,  and  likewise  the. 
probable  emoluments  of  the  office.  I  confess,  Daniel,  my  ac 
quaintance  with  the  business  of  teaching  a  school  does  not 
increase  my  love  of  it.  If  ever  I  have  built  any  castles  in  the 
air,  I  demolish  them  as  readily  as  ever  you  saw  me  demolish  a 
potato  when  we  travelled  over  the  Zahara  of  America.  It 
would  be  the  consummation  of  my  wishes  to  get  into  some  busi 
ness  which  would  be  adequate  to  the  support  of  a  small  family. 
I  hope  you  will  embrace  the  safe  opportunity  to  write,  particu 
larly  by  Mr.  Fifield,  and  give  me  your  advice  without  any 
reserve.  Colonel  Sam.  Thatcher  has  given  me  a  pretty  good 
offer  to  go  into  his  office ;  it  would  be  something  more  than 
pretty  good,  if  I  contemplated  a  settlement  in  that  section  of  the 
country.  I  am  glad  you  do  not  make  money  your  idol.  If  I 
should  ever  worship  it,  'twould  be  from  the  same  motives  from 
which  the  Indians  worship  the  devil ;  to  deprecate  evils.  As  to 
the  politics  of  this  place,  I  can  probably  give  you  nothing  new. 
VOL.  i.  18 


206  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

The  election  occurs  next  week.  The  legislature  is  to  fill  the  office 
of  Lieutenant- Governor.  A  majority  of  the  members  elect  are 
undoubtedly  Federalists.  As  Mr.  French  does  not  leave  town 
till  to-morrow,  I  shall  send  by  Mr.  Fifield  the  letter  I  prepared 
for  him.  I  shall  write  too  by  Mr.  Fifield  to  father.  You  have 

never  told  me  how  you  came  to  dine  on  a  white  raven  of 's 

cooking.  He  was  the  last  man  in  the  world  who  would  have 
prescribed  that  dish  for  your  stomach.  Write  me  very  often 
and  believe  me,  Yours,  E.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Boscawen,  N.  H.,  May  4,  1805. 

DEAR  BINGHAM, — You  must  know  that  I  have  opened  a  shop 
in  this  village  for  the  manufacture  of  justice  writs.  Other  me 
chanics  do  pretty  well  here,  and  I  am  determined  to  try  my  luck 
among  others.  March  25.  I  left  Boston,  with  a  good  deal  of 
regret,  I  assure  you.  I  was  then  bound  for  Portsmouth,  but  I 
found  my  father  extremely  ill  and  little  fit  to  be  left  by  all  his 
sons,  and  therefore  partly  through  duty,  partly  through  necessity, 
and  partly  through  choice,  I  concluded  to  make  my  stand  here. 
Some  little  business  is  doing  in  the  neighborhood,  and  of  that 
little  I  hope  to  get  a  little  part.  This  is  all  that  I  can  at  present 
say  of  my  prospects.  For  one  thing  I  ought  to  be  thankful.  If 
poverty  brings  me  so  near  the  wind  that  I  cannot  stay  here,  in 
duty  to  my  stomach,  I  have  only  to  take  my  hickory  and  walk. 
The  disagreeable  incumbrances  of  houses,  lands,  and  property 
need  not  delay  me  a  moment.  Nor  shall  I  be  hindered  by  love, 
nor  fastened  to  Boscawen  by  the  power  of  beauty. 

Our  friend  Lovejoy  will  open  a  store  in  this  place  next  week, 
in  which  he  will  put  Warren,  his  brother,  and  Thomas,  son  of 
Major  Taylor.  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  them  here.  One  dis 
aster  has  happened  to  me.  With  the  assistance  of  my  friends, 
I  collected  eighty-five  dollars  and  sent  to  Boston  for  the  pay 
ment  of  a  bookseller,  with  whom  I  had  contracted  for  a  few 
volumes.  But  the  cash  was  stolen  from  the  pocket  of  the 
bearer,  after  he  got  into  Boston,  and  I  lose  all.  Books,  there 
fore,  I  must  go  without  for  the  present. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  207 

When  I  have  more  leisure,  I  will  write  you  more  at  length 
The  object  of  this  is  only  to  tell  you  that  I  am  here,  and  pray 
you  to  write  to  me.  How  much  did  you  pay  Mr.  Sumner  for 
my  New  York  paper  ? 

Adieu,  my  old,  good  Mend, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  May  12,  1805. 

DANIEL, — Your  letter  of  April  30  came  to  hand  last  evening. 
Some  person,  in  his  great  wisdom,  erased  Boston  from  the  back 
of  it,  and  wrote  Boscawen,  N.  H.,  which  officiousness  probably 
prevented  my  receiving  it  before.  You  know  the  state  of  my 
finances  and  my  wish  to  assist  you.  Whatever  is  possible  for 
me  to  do,  shall  be  done.  I  will  confer  with  Mr.  Parker  on  the 
business  to-morrow,  and  let  you  know  the  result  immediately. 
If  you  have  no  business  or  but  very  little,  you  ought  at  least 
to  have  books,  so  that  you  may  become  learned, if  not  rich.  If 
I  should  not  be  able  to  send  your  books,  you  must  turn  author, 
and  write  your  dissertation  on  the  Constitution  of  New  Hamp 
shire.  Before  you  assume  this  new  character,  I  will  say  to  you 
in  the  indignant  language  of  Johnson  : — 

"  Yet  think  what  ills  the  scholar's  life  assail ; 
Pride,  envy,  want,  a  patron,  and  the  jail." 

With  respect  to  the  Fletcher  business,  I  leave  it  to  be  managed 
/cry  much  according  to  your  discretion.  To  me  there  seems 
degree  of  meanness  or  of  disgrace,  in  seeming  to  purchase 
in  office.  I  hope  I  do  not  feel  too  squeamish  or  over-delicate 
>n  this  point ;  and  I  am  confident,  likewise,  that  you  would 
lever  agree  to  my  taking  it  on  terms  inconsistent  with  the 
character  of  a  gentleman.  Have  you  ever  mentioned  it  to  the 
court,  and  what  say  they  ?  Who,  in  point  of  law  and  equity, 
should  lose  the  eighty-five  dollars,  you  or  Mr.  Fifield  ?  With 
me  there  is  a  doubt.  Osgood  thinks  that  himself  should  lose 
twenty ;  Fifield  twenty ;  you  twenty,  and  I  twenty ;  or  more 
accurately,  that  each  of  us  should  lose  a  quarter  of  the  whole 
sum.  I  shall  direct  this  letter  to  Salisbury ;  and  if  that  be  not 


208  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

the  best  place  for  you  to  receive  your  letters,  inform  me.  Did 
you  secure  Mr.  Gore's  debt  against  Putnam  ?  Have  you 
received  your  trunk  in  safety  ?  How  do  you  like  "  Democracy 
unveiled  ?  " 

Give  my  respects  to  Mr.  Wood's  family,  for  I  fancy  you  see 
them  occasionally.  Tell  the  family  at  home  that  I  am  well 
and  want  to  see  them  very  much. 

Yours  truly, 

E.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Boseawen,  N.  H.,  May  14,  1805. 

DEAR  MERRILL, — When  I  wrote  you  last  I  was  in  Court 
street,  Boston,  and  now  I  am  in  Court  street,  Boseawen.  March 
24.  I  left  the  lively  capital  of  New  England,  not  without  regret 
Whether  a  good  or  evil  star  led  me  to  this  little  village,  I  know 
not.  All  that  I  can  say  about  myself  at  present  is,  here  I  ain. 
If  you  pass  this  way  you  will  find  me  just  as  happy  to  see  you 
as  ever ;  and  happy  I  should  be  at  such  an  event  at  Iceland,  or 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Not  a  sentence  which  had  Merrill's 
name  in  it  has  sounded  in  my  ear  this  many  a  day ;  you,  your 
self,  uttered  the  last.  Not  a  soul  from  Hanover  have  my  eyes 
beheld  who  could  say  anything  about  you.  I  presume,  how 
ever,  that  if  I  give  this  a  direction  to  Middlebury,  it  will  hit  you. 
Where  will  it  find  you?  How  employed?  My  heart  feels  a  sort 
of  vacuum  when  it  cannot  fancy  the  situation  of  my  friends. 
While  you  resided  at  Dartmouth  College,  I  could  trace  you  in 
your  morning  vocations  and  in  your  evening  \valks.  At  sunset 
I  could  see  you  enter  the  chapel,  could  hear  the  bell,  and  follow 
you  through  every  scene  of  business  and  amusement.  How  is 
it  at  Middlebury  ?  You  have  there  too,  I  suppose,  vocations, 
and  walks,  and  chapels,  and  bells.  But  I  know  nothing  of 
them  ;  tell  me,  therefore. 

It  was  a  part  of  our  original  plan  of  correspondence,  I  think, 
to  inform  each  other  of  our  studies.  I  have  no  great  feats  in 
that  way  to  recount  at  present.  In  Boston,  I  was  not  altogether 
idle,  but  my  reading  was  mostly  appropriate  to  my  profession. 
Gifford's  Juvenal  I  looked  at,  and  Gibbon's  Life  and  posthumous 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  209 

works  by  Sheffield ;  Moore's  Travels  in  Italy  and  France ; 
Paley's  Natural  Theology,  and  a  few  others.  Natural  Theology 
is  an  ingenious  little  thing.  Gifford's  Juvenal  is  worth  perusing 
on  more  accounts  than  one,  though  I  believe  that  work  is 
daubed  with  too  much  indiscriminate  praise.  Gifford  was  cer 
tainly  a  very  accomplished  scholar,  was  originally  the  tenant  of 
an  easy  seat,  with  three  legs,  in  vulgar  dialect  called  a  shoe 
maker's  bench.  But  he  ran  away  from  his  leather  apron  and 
his  lapstone,  and  fled  to  Parnassus.  Gibbon's  Life  is  the  his 
tory  of  a  Deist.  He  was,  as  I  think,  a  learned,  proud,  ingenious, 
foppish,  vain,  self-deceived  man.  If  unbelief  be  a  crime,  how 
criminal  is  he  who  exercises  talents  and  learning  to  infuse  it 
into  his  own  heart  ?  Gibbon,  from  Protestant  connections  and 
family,  deserted  to  the  faith  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  thence 
to  the  faith  of  Tom  Paine. 

Our  friends,  dear  Merrill,  are  every  day  disappearing.  Alas, 
poor  Gilbert !  The  herds  of  the  valley  graze  the  turf  that  lies 
upon  thy  bosom !  But  Merrill  and  Webster  will  preserve  thy 
memory  in  the  urn  of  their  hearts. 

Adieu,  my  good  friend ;  write  me  forthwith,  I  pray  you.  If 
this  letter  is  dull  and  insipid,  impute  it  to  dull  weather,  head 
ache,  east  wind,  or  any  thing  else,  so  you  hold  me  faultless. 

Yours  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boscawen,  May  16,  1805. 

DEAR  ZEKE, — This  will  be  handed  you  by  Mr.  French ;  if  you 
have  any  thing  to  send  to  me,  he  will  bring  it.  I  was  at  Salis 
bury  yesterday.  The  family  are  well  as  usual.  Father  is  de 
sirous  you  should  write  to  him  and  you  must  do  so  forthwith. 

Adieu,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  greatly  need  a  few  small  blank  books,  which  Mr. 
Parker  prepared  for  me. 

18* 


210  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MISS    SALLY    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boscawen,  May  25,  1805. 

DEAR  BROTHER, — What  can  be  the  reason  of  my  not  receiving 
any  letters  from  you  for  so  long  a  time  ?  Are  you  so  much 
confined  in  your  school,  that  you  have  not  time  to  write,  or  can 
it  be  that  you  are  so  much  delighted  with  the  people  of  Boston, 
as  to  forget  your  friends  in  the  country  ?  No ;  I  cannot  think 
that  to  be  the  case.  I  would  rather  impute  your  neglect  in 
writing  to  hurry  of  business,  want  of  conveyance,  or  any  thing 
than  want  of  friendship. 

You  will  conclude  by  the  date  of  this  letter  that  I  am  at 
Boscawen.  I  left  home  one  week  since,  and  left  your  friends 
well.  Father's  health  is  much  better  than  it  was  last  winter, 
and  I  hope  that,  by  proper  care,  he  will  yet  be  able  to  attend  to 
business  for  years  to  come.  Joseph  expects  to  go  up  country 
this  summer  to  buy  him  a  farm,  which  I  think  will  be  the  best 
thing  he  can  do.  Daniel  is  at  the  other  end  of  the  room,  filling 
a  blank ;  he  looks  very  pleasant.  I  suppose  he  intends  to  get  a 
dollar  for  it,  towards  the  eighty  he  has  lost.  It  has  been 
remarked  by  some  one  that  a  bad  beginning  makes  a  good  end ; 
if  that  is  the  case,  I  think  he  will  undoubtedly  have  a  good  end. 

Uncle  Webster's  family  are  well,  and  some  of  them  employed 
in  the  business  of  instructing  youth,  which  I  think  must  be  very 
agreeable.  Nath'l  is  keeping  school  at  the  Corner.  Polly 
begins  next  week  at  Danbury.  Ruth  is  expected  to  keep  in 
some  part  of  town.  Betsey  Quinby  is  to  begin  a  school  next 
week  in  N.  Chester;  L.  T.  somewhere  else.  So  you  see  we 
have  instructors  as  plenty  as  in  Boston.  I  wish  you  to  let  me 
know  when  you  expect  to  come  home. 

Miss  R.  Fifield  expects  to  spend,  I  understand,  some  part  of 
the  summer  in  Boston  with  her  brother,  which  I  think  will  be  a 
very  pleasant  thing  for  a  young  lady. 

Do,  Ezekiel,  write  me  a  letter  by  the  next  mail  after  you 
receive  this,  if  you  think  it  worth  answering,  and  consider  that 
letters  from  you  are  not  only  pleasing  but  instructive ;  be  as 
sured  that  no  person  would  more  gladly  receive  instruction 
than  your  sister, 

SALLY  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  211 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  May  19,  1806. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — Before  Mr.  French  had  given  me  your  letter, 
I  had  forwarded  your  trunk,  with  the  blank  books  you  so  much 
need  for  the  entry  of  your  fourteen  actions.  When  Mr.  Parker 
consented  to  send  you  the  books,  I  called  on  Mr.  Thacher,  as 
you  directed,  and  requested  of  him  the  favor  of  his  signature, 
with  mine,  to  a  note  of  one  hundred  dollars,  to  Mr.  Parker.  He 
consented  to  do  it  with  pleasure,  and  very  politely  went  with  me 
to  Mr.  Parker  ;  but  the  latter  did  not  wish  it ;  so  I  gave  him  my 
note  for  the  sum,  on  demand. 

Mr.  Thacher  sent  me  a  book  directed  to  you.  I  fancy  it  is 
"  Democracy  naked."  You  may  guess  the  design,  if  he  has  not 
mentioned  it  in  his  letter.  I  had  the  honor  to  dine  with  Mr. 
Emerson,  and  he  made  particular  inquiry  concerning  you,  and 
added  that  you  write  very  handsomely.  Mr.  Fifield  goes  on 
Friday  to  Salisbury ;  I  shall  write  to  father  by  him,  and  like 
wise  to  yourself.  Let  me  hear  from  you  often,  and  know  when 
ever  you  have  swelled  the  number  of  your  entries  to  fifteen. 
Every  particular  will  be  pleasing. 

Just  meeting-time  ;  farewell.  E.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  May  30,  1805. 

THE  letter  sent  by  Miss  Fuller,  will  fully  compensate  for  the 
negligence  alleged  in  your  complaint  against  me.  If  you  charge 
me  again,  I  shall  put  in  what  I  believe,  in  law,  is  called  a  rebut 
ter.  Yesterday  was  election.  For  clerk  of  the  House,  Tilling- 
hast  had  175  votes ;  C.  P.  Sumner  had  146 ;  T.  Bigelow  had, 
for  Speaker,  169 ;  P.  Morton,  151.  The  last  vote  was  the  best 
test  of  the  strength  of  the  parties.  The  Federalists  had  a 
majority  of  eighteen.  The  whole  number  in  the  House,  was  324. 
Otis  was  declared  President  of  the  Senate.  This  morning  they 
fill  the  senatorial  vacancy  for  the  county  of  York.  Had  the 
votes  been  legally  returned  from  the  little  town  of  Shapleigh, 


212  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Heath  would  have  been  chosen  Lieutenant  Governor.  As  these 
votes  will  probably  be  rejected,  the  choice  will  devolve  on  the 
Legislature.  When  Mr.  Parker  gave  me  the  books,  he  said  you 
had  taken  a  bill  of  them,  and  was  to  leave  it  with  me  for  him 
to  sign,  when  I  took  the  books.  You  probably  have  it  among 
some  of  your  papers.  1  called,  however,  for  a  new  one  this 
morning,  and  was  unable  to  get  it  seasonably  for  this  communi 
cation,  on  account  of  his  absence.  The  business  of  Mr.  Thacher 
has,  before  this  time,  explained  itself;  and  the  weather-bound 
letters  have  arrived.  Do  you  find  any  business  that  ever  calls 
you  to  Concord  ?  Write  soon.  E.  WEBSTER. 

Sally  will  have  a  letter  from  me  immediately.  I  am  under 
an  engagement  this  morning,  which  prevents  my  writing  to  her 
by  Mr.  Fuller.  E.  W. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Sunday,  June,  1805. 

DEAR  ZEKE, — I  got  home  alive  last  evening,  although  most 
killed  by  hot  weather  ;  have  not  seen  our  folks,  but  hear  they  are 
well.  Pray  send  me  a  pair  of  gaiters  like  Fifield's.  In  going 
to  church  to-day,  I  felt  that  man  is  dust,  and  can  think  of 
nothing  to  guard  against  sand  better  than  they  do. 

Adieu,  which  is  a  very  affectionate  term  from  the  French  a  dieu, 
and  is  synonymous  with,  "  I  commend  you  to  God." 

Mr.  French  keeps  at  French's.  D.  W. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER   TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  July  10,  1805. 

GOOD  DANIEL, — Your  letter  by  Mr.  French  was  given  to  me  at 
half-past  ten  o'clock  on  the  day  on  which  Mr.  French  was  to  leave 
town  at  eleven.  I  roamed  about  town  till  twelve  o'clock,  to  find 
the  said  gaiters,  but  could  not  hear  of  any ;  nor  have  I  been  able 
since  to  see  any  in  the  shops.  I  shall  keep  them  in  remembrance, 
and  the  first  pair  that  is  to  be  bought,  shall  be  sent  to  you.  We 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  213 

had  two  orations  in  this  town.  French,  I  am  told,  is  a  young 
tallow-chandler  in  this  place.  His  oration,  of  course,  must  have 
been  warm  and  fluent.  I  fancy  his  eloquence  bordered  a  little 
on  that  species  which  the  rhetoricians  call  the  oily  or  smooth. 
Tell  me  what  was  done  at  Salisbury,  and  in  what  manner. 
The  bell  is  now  tolling  for  the  funeral  of  Mrs.  Howe,  the  former 
owner  of  Rowe's  pasture,  adjoining  my  school-house.  It  is  in 
contemplation  to  erect  a  market  there,  for  the  convenience  of  the 
people  at  the  south  part  of  the  town.  I  am  determined,  I  think 
unalterably,  to  leave  my  school  in  April.  Look  about  you  a 
little,  and  see  where  there  is  a  good  place  for  me  in  New  Hamp 
shire.  It  is  probable  that  I  shall  leave  town  about  the  time  in 
which  I  leave  my  school.  Is  Grace  in  Salisbury,  and  is  B.  at 
tentive  to  her  ?  Do  you  go  to  Commencement  ?  I  shall  send 
you  Button's  oration,  if  I  see  the  man  who  carries  the  letter.  I 
did  not  hear  it,  nor  have  I  read  it.  It  was  said  not  to  be  very 
extraordinary.  Let  me  know  if  Chandler  is  in  town  for  I  want 
to  write  to  him. 

I  am  yours,  in  haste, 

EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boscawen,  July  28,  1805. 

DEAR  ZEKE, — If  I  have  not  written  you  for  some  weeks,  it  is 
not  owing  to  pressure  of  business,  want  of  remembrance,  or  any 
other  describable  cause.  It  is  one  of  those  omissions  which 
occur  in  life  without  bringing  with  them  any  color  of  excuse, 
md  for  which  we  offer  no  apology,  because  we  wrongly  think 
them  unimportant. 

In  the  history  of  myself,  I  believe  my  last  chapter  left  me  just 
irrived  from  Boston.  Shortly  after,  the  4th  of  July  appeared, 
md  I  made  my  bow  and  my  speech  to  the  Salisburians.  Both 
parties  celebrated  the  day,  and  Mr.  Pettingill  entertained  his 
Democratic  friends  with  an  oration  on  the  Centre  road.  The 
Federalists  dined  at  Rogers's ;  the  Democrats,  at  Caleb 
Cushing's.  Shortly  after  4th  July,  I  began  to  wane  in  health, 
and  am  now  quite  out  of  sorts ;  able,  however,  to  keep  about 
and  perform  all  the  business  I  can  find. 


214  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

I  shall  make  about  as  many  entries  at  the  next  courts  as  I 
expected  to ;  perhaps  a  few  more.  I  pick  up,  however,  but  very 
little  cash,  hardly  laying  my  hand  upon  a  dollar. 

What  shall  we  do  with  Parker?  The  folks  at  Salisbury 
enjoy  about  their  usual  health,  and  things  there  remain  in  statu. 
Fifield's  father  and  mother  were  at  South  road,  the  4th,  and 
very  well.  James  Brackett  spent  a  day  with  me  last  week ;  he 
is  gone  to  Londonderry,  and  perhaps  to  Boston.  Chandler  is 
not  in  town,  and  is  not  expected  until  Commencement. 

This  will  be  left  in  the  post-office  by  Mr.  Dix  ;  you  will  prob 
ably  find  him  at  Wyman's,  and  he  will  bring  any  communica 
tions  you  may  wish  to  make,  as  also  my  gaiters,  &c. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 

N.  B.  Do  you  think  that  Dr.  Perkins  would  loan  us  fifty 
dollars,  for  Parker,  till  September  ? 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  August  1,  1805. 

GOOD  DANIEL, — Mr.  Dix  very  politely  handed  me  your  letter. 
Your  ill  health  is  a  sufficient  excuse  for  not  writing.  I  should 
have  written  myself  before  this,  but  waited,  expecting  to  receive 
a  letter  from  you,  by  every  mail. 

You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  the  health  of  the  inhabitants  of 
this  town  is  as  good  as  it  has  been  for  many  years.  There  is 
no  case  of  yellow  fever,  or  any  other  epidemic.  Its  appearance 
in  Providence  and  New  Haven  alarmed  the  people  here  very 
much,  and  called  forth  some  pretty  rigorous  and  necessary  regu 
lations  from  the  board  of  health.  Favorable  official  communi 
cations  from  those  places,  have  induced  the  board  to  admit 
travellers  from  them,  without  subjecting  them  to  the  process  of 
purification.  I  have  sent  you  a  pair  of  gaiters.  There  were  none 
for  sale  ;  but  Mr.  F.  was  so  kind  as  to  part  with  his.  Mr.  Thacher 
wished  me  to  mention  to  you,  when  I  should  write,  that  he  had 
looked  for  something  from  you.  I  can  hardly  tell  what  shall  be 
done  for  Mr.  Parker.  I  will  make  an  attempt ;  and  if  I  can  get 
thirty  or  forty  dollars,  I  will  pay  them  to  him.  You  observe  a 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  215 

smart  quill  war  between  P.  and  H.  The  latter  appears  most 
valorous  when  writing  a  paragraph  in  the  Chronicle  office.  I 
am  so  languid  and  indolent  this  afternoon  that  I  cannot  fill  the 
next  page.  Write  soon.  God  bless  you. 

E.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boscawen,  August  9,  1805. 

DEAR  ZEKE, — Mr.  Fletcher  having  failed  and  shut  up,  it  seems 
jrobable  that  something  will  now  be  done  about  the  clerkship. 
Mr.  F.  is  in  your  favor,  and  we  shall  endeavor  to  make  matters 
work  at  September  court. 

The  legislature  have  diminished  the  fees  somewhat ;  but  it  is 
low  worth  one  thousand  dollars  per  annum.  Write  me  by  Mr. 
French,  without  fail,  whether  you  wish  it. 

D.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  August  14,  1805. 

DANIEL, — When  I  heard  of  Fletcher's  failure,  I  concluded  that 
there  was,  on  that  account,  less  probability  of  a  vacancy  in  the 
clerkship.     In  answering  your  question,  I  hardly  know  what  to 
ly.     I  should  wish  it,  if  I  considered  that  I  might  do  better 
than  in  a  profession.     In  that  office,  you  know,  a  man  stands  on 
mine  which  may  be  sprung  at  any  moment.     In  a  profession, 
le  is  on  a  little  surer  ground.     When  the  storm  beats  he  can 
>uffet  it.     Men  must  be  sick ;  and  they  will  be  dishonest ;  and 
ic  few  upright  will  want  lawyers  to  protect  them  from  rogues, 
and  physicians  to  heal  their  maladies.    The  fees  of  the  clerk  may 
be  frittered  down,  till  they  bear  no  proportion  to  the  labors  to  be 
performed.     These  are  the  considerations  which  suggest  them 
selves  to  me,  on  thinking  of  the  clerkship  ;  I  mean,  in  thinking 
of  its  dark  side.     On  the  other  hand,  a  thousand  dollars  step  up 
and  demand  for  themselves  much  consideration.     Another  cir 
cumstance  of  considerable  weight  is,  that  it  might  be  three  or 
four  years  before  I  shall  be  able  to  do  any  thing,  if  ever,  in  the 


i 


216  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

practice  of  the  law.  In  the  office,  the  emoluments  will  be  im 
mediately  consequent  upon  the  earning  of  them.  In  law,  we 
let  out,  on  interest,  the  study  of  Coke,  &c.  &c.  What  part  of 
my  time  will  the  business  of  the  office  occupy,  and  where  must 
the  office  be  kept  ?  The  answers  to  these  questions  would  have 
some  influence  upon  my  determination.  The  conclusion  of  the 
whole  matter,  in  my  own  mind,  is  perplexing.  You  know  the 
whole  ground  better  than  myself.  If  you  and  father  think  it 
best  for  me  to  seek  it,  I  shall  think  so,  and  thank  you  for  any 
assistance  you  may  afford. 

I  am  as  ever,  yours, 

E.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

September  15,  1805. 

DANIEL,— I  take  a  little  from  this  day,  to  write  you.  Perhaps 
you  have  heard  alarming  stories  respecting  the  health  of  this 
place.  It  is  indeed  pretty  sickly  among  children,  but  not  more 
so  than  usual  among  grown  people.  No  case  of  yellow  fever  has 
occurred.  Private  letters  say  it  is  very  malignant  in  New  York, 
and  considerably  so  in  Philadelphia.  I  have  enjoyed  always 
perfect  health  since  I  wrote  you.  I  was  one  evening  quite 
sick,  took  an  emetic,  and  in  the  morning  was  well ;  never  less 
languid  and  weak  at  this  season  of  the  year. 

I  have  heard  Mr.  Nott  preach  this  morning.  I  cannot  say  of 
him  as  my  dear  Cicero  said  of  Archias,  the  expectation  formed 
of  him  was  great,  and  he  surpassed  it.  He  is,  however,  a  man 
of  abilities,  and  a  scholar.  The  object  of  his  discourse  was  to 
prove  the  resurrection  of  our  Saviour.  His  subject  did  not  ad 
mit  of  much  embellishment.  He  managed  it  very  ingeniously, 
and  argued  like  a  man  who  had  not  learned  his  logic  from  the 
syllogisms  of  Watts. 

I  saw,  in  the  Chronicle,  a  puff  for  Mr.  Langdon  and  the  legis 
lature,  in  granting  aid  to  Dartmouth  College.  WiU  you  give  me 
a  few  facts  respecting  it  ?  Did  not  Langdon  oppose  every  peti 
tion  offered  while  he  was  in  the  House  ?  Did  he  not  object  to 
the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  being  a  committee  to  report 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  217 

the  expediency  of  giving  assistance  ?  Did  he  not,  when  that 
committee  had  reported  one  thousand  dollars,  vote  for  Dr.  L.'s 
motion  to  have  it  five  hundred  ?  What  was  the  late  grant  ? 
Had  he  any  official  business  in  it  ?  Will  you,  if  convenient, 
give  me  answers  to  these  questions  ?  Langdon's  speech,  and 
Colman's  anecdotes  of  Bradley,  do  not  seem  to  make  the  people 
in  this  place  think  him  worthy  of  their  late  honors.  I  saw  a  few 
remarks,  made  in  the  Gazette,  respecting  them.  Did  Bradley 
ever  have  a  college  education  ?  Will  you  tell  me,  too,  how  the 
thing  happened  ?  Did  J.  T.  consent  ? 

Should  you  go  within  ten  or  twenty  miles  of  Hanover,  it 
would  be  well  to  call  there  and  have  the  few  old  books  we  have, 
put  into  a  chest,  which  I  believe  is  in  Jarvis's  room,  and  sent 
home. 

I  often  see  Mr.  Thacher,  and  he  as  often  inquires  for  you. 
He  expects  something  from  you,  at  least  a  letter. 

If  the  letter  I  wrote  you  in  Latin  frightened  you,  only  tell 
me  and  I  never  will  write  you  another.  Pray,  pray  send  me  a 
letter  soon,  and  tell  our  folks  you  have  had  this  from  me. 

In  my  next,  I  shall  be  able  to  let  you  know  when  I  shall  be  at 
Salisbury. 

I  am  yours,  EZEK.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  October  17,  1805. 

I  DO  assure  you,  Daniel,  I  was  serious  in  stating  to  you  the 
reasons  for  my  not  coming  to  Salisbury.  I  thought  you  in 
earnest  in  requesting  it ;  and  I  was  in  hopes  that  the  incon 
veniences  I  mentioned,  would  appear  as  formidable  to  you  and 
the  family,  as  they  did  to  me.  I  have  no  reason  to  think  I  was 
hypochondriacal  when  I  wrote  that  letter  ;  that  a  sickly  imagina 
tion  swelled  molehills  into  mountains ;  or  that  indolence  cried, 
"  Behold  a  lion  in  the  way."  I  wanted  to  see  the  family  and 
yourself,  and  I  thought  that  you  wished  to  see  me. 

I  believe  your  situation  to  be  distressing  enough ;  but  I  do 
ot  know  how  I  could  help  you,  if  I  were  present.     As  to  ar- 
VOL.  i.  19 


218  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

rangements  -to  be  made,  I  know  of  none  but  to  pay  the  debts, 
and  make  the  family  as  comfortable  as  we  can. 

A  few  days  after  I  wrote  you,  Mr.  Parker  called  at  my  school- 
house  and  told  me  that  he  wanted  the  remainder  of  my  note  of 
one  hundred  dollars.  I  borrowed  thirty  and  gave  him.  He 
said  he  expected  the  rest  to  be  paid  this  month,  and  wished  you 
to  settle  your  notes  with  him  within  the  same  time.  I  under 
stand  Mr.  P.  to  mean,  that  he  is  obliged  to  make  out  some 
money  at  that  time,  and  that  he  depends  upon  receiving  all  the 
money  due  from  you  and  me.  From  this  statement  you  can 
judge,  as  well  as  myself,  what  sum  will  answer  for  him.  I  can 
only  say,  God  bless  you ;  for  I  fear  Mr.  White  will  leave  town 
before  I  can  deliver  this  to  him. 

EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boscawen,  November  15,  1805. 

DEAR  ZEKE, — I  should  be  inexpressibly  gratified  if  you  would 
accompany  Nat.  into  this  quarter.  But  there  will  be  so  many 
folks  in  the  chaise  with  him,  I  suppose  it  will  be  inconvenient. 
Besides,  as  there  is  nobody  in  Boston  that  can  read  or  write 
except  yourself,  it  will  be  next  to  impossible  for  you  to  leave 
your  school. 

Again,  as  there  is  no  stage-coach  running  on  any  part  of  the 
road  from  Boston  here,  no  chaises  passing,  and  not  a  horse  in 
the  country,  nobody  knows  how  you  will  get  back  again. 

With  affection,  but  in  despair  of  ever  seeing  you, 

Yours,  &c.  D.  W. 

N.  B.  Forty  dollars  enclosed  for  Mr.  Parker ;  I  wish  you  to 
tell  him,  I  hope  to  get  his  Carrigain  money  early  next  month. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


219 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Boscawen,  December  7,  1805. 

DEAR  HERVEY, — You  and  I  hear  of  each  other  as  seldom  as 
if  we  were  in  different  kingdoms.     This  is  not  as  it  should  be. 
We  are  not  kings,  nor  emperors,  nor  presidents,  and  therefore 
ave  not  such  a  pressure  of  state  affairs  on  our  hands,  as  to 
fford  an  excuse  for  neglect  of  private  friendship.     Nor  is  either 
of  us,  that  I  know  of,  in  love  up  to  desperation ;  and  as  to  my- 
lf,  I  can  say  safely,  that  writ-making  does  not  in  toto  absorb 
e.     Wherefore  it  seems  proper  for  us  to  point  our  pens  again, 
nd  to  scribble  and  figure  away  on  paper,  as  in  time  of  old. 

I  have  been  thinking  you  would  visit   the  Legislature   at 
Portsmouth,  and  come  this  way.     I  should  press  this  point,  if  I 
was  not  going  to  Boston.     About  the  22d  instant,  I  shall  be,  I 
xpect  at  Portsmouth,  and  why  may  I  not  find  you  there  ?  We 
ill  stroll  round  town  a  day  or  three  together,  then  you  shall 
ome  to  Boscawen  and  see  Counsellor  Webster's  office,  &c., 
nd  the    Counsellor  and  Barrister  Bingham  will   have   many 
.earned  conversations,  &c.,  all  tending  to  the  benefit  of  society, 
ay  will  you  come,  most  noble  Barrister  ? 

Enclosed  are  two  shot,  which  I  wish  you  to  discharge  by 
eans  of  your  Shrieve,  and  send  the  same  to  me  by  mail  before 
Amherst  Court.     If  you  cannot  go  to  Portsmouth,  write  me  the 
ery  next  mail. 

Holloa !  A  client.     Good-bye.     Yours  with  undiminished  love 
d  tenderness,  D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Boscawen,  January  19,  1806. 

DEAR  OLD  FRIEND, — I  now  sit  down  to  give  you  some  account 

)f  myself;  a  thing  which  I  have  long  neglected,  and  which,  like 

)ther  accounts,  swells  rapidly  by  being  let  alone.     I  have  no 

expectation  of  redeeming  by  this  letter  the  vacuity  and  nothing- 

less  of  the  last  I  wrote  you,  which,  when  nihilities  shall  all  be 

jllected  and  classed,  will  hold  a  conspicuous  rank. 

In  truth,  I  have  observed  an  oyster-like  silence,  which  would 


•220  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

be  very  laudable  towards  my  enemies ;  absque  hoc,  that  you  are 
one  of  that  number.  I  now  mean  to  treat  you  with  a  course  of 
epistles,  thick  at  least,  if  not  charming,  and  to  make  my  winter 
evenings  pleasant,  at  the  expense  perhaps  of  the  pleasure  and 
tranquillity  of  yours. 

Since  I  last  saw  James  H.  Bingham,  I  have  passed  through  a 
variety  of  scenes,  if  scenes  they  can  be  called  which  affect  only 
an  individual.  It  is  now  eight  months  since  I  opened  an  office 
in  this  town,  during  which  time  I  have  led  a  life  which  I  know 
not  how  to  describe  better  than  by  calling  it  a  life  of  writs  and 
summonses.  Not  that  I  have  dealt  greatly  in  those  articles,  but 
that  I  have  done  little  else.  My  business  has  been  just  about 
so,  so ;  its  quantity  less  objectionable  than  its  quality.  I  shall 
be  able  at  the  end  of  the  year  to  pay  my  bills,  and  pay  perhaps 
sixty  pounds  for  my  books.  I  practise  in  Hillsborough,  Rock- 
ingham,  and  Grafton.  Scattering  business  over  so  much  surface 
is  like  spilling  water  on  the  ground.  In  point  of  profit  I  should 
do  better,  much  better,  if  it  were  convenient  to  attend  the  courts 
in  one  county  only.  So  much  for  business.  Now  as  to  fame.  In 
this  point  I  am  rather  waning.  When  I  was  in  college,  Bliss, 
and  the  Smiths,  and  Crowel  used  to  come  to  me  to  correct  their 
themes,  and  I  thought  myself  a  promising  character ;  my  cred 
itors  thought  so  also.  At  present,  I  believe  I  am  in  the  rear  of 
them  all.  Of  the  Smiths,  one  I  hear  is  a  minister,  and  one  a 
major.  Yes,  Wm.  Coit  is  a  major.  Bliss  is  stuck  on  to  the 
side  of  the  great  hill,  that  lies  between  you  and  me,  and  certainly 
holds  a  more  elevated  station  than  I  can  boast.  I  make  no 
poetry ;  five  lines  to  D.  Abbott  are  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega 
of  my  poetical  labors  for  a  year.  In  this  particular,  however,  I 
mean  to  reform.  How  would  it  do,  think  ye,  to  write  writs  in 
verse?  For  instance,  let  one  be  clausum  in  his  verbis,  that  is  to 
say,  being  interpreted,  wrapt  up  in  these  words : — 

All  good  sheriffs  in  the  land, 

We  command, 
That  forthwith  you  arrest  John  Dyer, 

Esquire, 
If  in  your  precinct  you  can  find  him, 

And  bind  him,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

If  the  legislature  will  but  put  our  writs  into  a  poetical  and 
musical  form,  it  will  certainly  be  the  most  harmonious  thing 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  221 

they  ever  did,  and  you  and  I  shall  like  them  vastly  better  than 
we  do  now. 

In  the  next  place,  as  to  politics.  Here  my  lips  are  glued.  I 
live  in  a  family  who  think  differently  from  me  on  political  ques 
tions,  and  it  is  therefore  decent  to  be  silent.  They  are  charitable 
enough,  however,  to  tolerate  my  errors,  and  I,  at  length,  feel  no 
restraint  arising  from  the  propriety  of  being  silent ;  though  you 
know  there  is  a  great  regeneration  to  be  wrought  before  I  shall 
feel  democratically.  Last  year  I  wrote  a  political  pamphlet  in 
two  days,  which  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  kicked  about 
under  many  tables.  But  you  are  one  of  the  very  few  who 
know  the  author  of  the  Appeal  to  the  Old  Whigs.  Keep  the 
precious  secret. 

Now,  having  told  you  all ,  about  my  business,  my  fame,  and 
my  politics,  there  is  but  one  point  more  to  be  discussed  be 
fore  I  shall  have  completed  the  account  of  myself;  and  that  one 
point  is  love.  On  this  head,  which,  like  a  good  many  other 
heads,  is  rather  barren,  I  can  at  present  say  nothing  only  that  I 
am  not  married,  and  seriously  am  inclined  to  think  I  never  shall 
be.  The  example  of  my  friends  sometimes  excites  me,  and  cer 
tain  narratives  I  hear  of  you,  induce  me  to  inquire  why  the 
deuce  female  flesh  and  blood  was  not  made  for  me  as  well  as 
others ;  but  reasons,  good  or  bad,  suppress  hope  and  stifle  incip 
ient  resolution. 

Thus  far  I  have  dilated  on  that  dear,  precious,  ever  present,  and 
ever  unexhausted  subject,  self.  I  thought  proper  to  give  you  the 
above  description,  because  our  correspondence  has  been  so  long 
intermitted,  that  though  you  are  acquainted  with  my  "  rise  and 
progress,"  you  might  yet  know  nothing  of  my  "  present  state." 

Three  weeks  since,  this  day,  I  dined  in  Boston,  at  the  table 
of  Mr.  Thacher,  and  in  company  with  Mr.  Buckminster.  They 
inquired  very  particularly  after  you.  Pray,  James,  why  do  you 
never  visit  Boston  ?  You  would  certainly  find  it  for  your  interest, 
as  well  as  amusement,  to  extend  your  acquaintance  there.  If 
you  feel  what  I  feel,  the  burden  of  perpetual  solitude  and  seclu 
sion,  you  would  sometimes  run  away  eagerly  to  the  busy  haunts 
of  men.  Since  I  returned  from  Boston,  I  have  attended  the 
Common  Pleas  at  Portsmouth.  Your  old  and  valued  friend, 
jaltonstall,  was  there  ;  he  is  growing  to  be  quite  unwieldy  in 

ze,  but  has  good-nature  in  proportion.  A  large  man,  who  is 
19* 


.     222  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

surly,  is  a  frightful  thing,  and  the  species  ought  to  take  arms 
against  him.  Lawrence  is  settled  in  Epping;  you  probably 
remember  him,  which,  inter  nos,  is  not  requiring  of  your  memory 
to  retain  much. 

Solon,  your  cousin,  seems  fast  rising  into  business  and  repu 
tation  ;  he  is  an  intelligent,  gentlemanly  man.  I  believe  he 
studies,  and  have  no  doubt  he  will  succeed  to  every  rational 
expectation.  Study  is  truly  the  grand  requisite  for  a  lawyer. 
Men  may  be  born  poets,  and  leap  from  their  cradle  painters ; 
nature  may  have  made  them  musicians,  and  called  on  them 
only  to  exercise,  and  not  to  acquire,  ability.  But  law  is  arti 
ficial.  It  is  a  human  science  to  be  learnt,  not  inspired.  Let 
there  be  a  genius  for  whom  nature  has  done  so  much  as  appar 
ently  to  have  left  nothing  for  application,  yet  to  make  a  lawyer, 
application  must  do  as  much  as  if  nature  had  done  nothing. 
The  evil  is,  that  an  accursed  thirst  for  money  violates  everything. 
We  cannot  study,  because  we  must  pettifog.  We  learn  the 
low  recourses  of  attorneyism,  when  we  should  learn  the  concep 
tions,  the  reasonings,  and  the  opinions  of  Cicero  and  Murray. 
•The  love  of  fame  is  extinguished  ;  every  ardent  wish  for  knowl 
edge  repressed ;  conscience  put  in  jeopardy,  and  the  best  feel 
ings  of  the  heart  indurated,  by  the  mean,  money-catching, 
abominable  practices,  which  cover  with  disgrace  a  part  of  the 
modern  practitioners  of  the  law.  The  love  of  money  is  the 
ruling  passion  of  this  country.  It  has  taken  root  deeply,  and  I 
fear  will  never  be  eradicated.  While  this  holds  everything  in 
its  gripe,  America  will  produce  few  great  characters.  We  have 
no  patronage  for  genius ;  no  reward  for  merit.  The  liberal  pro 
fessions  are  resorted  to,  not  to  acquire  reputation  and  conse 
quence,  but  to  get  rich.  Money  is  the  chief  good ;  every  eye 
is  on  it;  every  heart  sighs  for  it.  When  the  day  will  come 
when  these  things  shall  be  ordered  better,  you  and  I  cannot  tell, 
but  will  hope  that  it  will  come  some  time.  Our  profession  is 
good  if  practised  in  the  spirit  of  it ;  it  is  damnable  fraud  and 
iniquity,  when  its  true  spirit  is  supplied  by  a  spirit  of  mischief- 
making  and  money-catching. 

I  have  looked  to  see  you  this  way  this  winter.  Shall  you  not 
come  ?  Will  it  be  easy  for  you,  if  you  cannot  come,  to  attend 
Amherst  Court  in  March  ?  Pray  invent  some  way  wherein  I 
may  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  my  ancient  and  honorable 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  223 

friend.  I  never  hear  from  Fanny.  Alas !  Poor  girl,  if  you  live, 
I  pity  your  sufferings,  and  if  your  sufferings  are  over,  my  heart 
shall  embalm  your  memory !  If  you  know  any  thing  about  this 
interesting  object  of  regard  and  compassion,  pray  impart  the 
knowledge  to  me.  Make  my  respectful  compliments  to  your 
father  when  you  see  him  ;  he  has  probably  nearly  forgotten  me. 
Six  winters  ago,  you  and  I  were  together  in  his  house.  What 
a  considerable  portion  of  human  life  is  six  years ;  and  yet  how 
short  the  retrospect ! 

Adieu,  my  dear  friend.     Yours  affectionately, 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    M  GAW. 

Boscawen,  January  12,  1807. 

DEAR  M'GAW, — You  call  yourself  such  hard  names  in  your 
letter  that  I  begin  to  think  they  are  well  applied.  I  was  entirely 
unsuspicious  before,  but  I  know  nothing  against  your  credit  as 
a  witness,  and  if  you  affirm  that  you  are  a  "  lazy  scoundrel,"  the 
point  must  be  considered  as  proved.  But  I  forgive  you,  fully, 
freely,  frankly.  A  man  that  hath  both  a  fame  to  regard,  a  purse 
to  regard,  and  a  wife  to  regard,  must  be  excused  from  any  par 
ticular  attention  to  his  friends.  A  wife,  I  take  it,  reverently  be 
it  spoken,  is  like  a  burning-glass,  which  concentrates  every  ray 
of  affection  that  emanates 'from  a  husband's  heart.  We  single 
dogs  have  attachments  which  are  dispersed  over  society,  our 
friendships  are  scattered  all  over  the  world,  and  we  love  at  a 
thousand  places  at  the  same  moment ;  but  you  husbands  carry 
all  your  wares  to  the  same  market.  You  have  one  bank,  in 
which  you  deposit  all  your  tender  sentiments,  wherefore  I  hold 
you  all  pardonable  for  forgetting  your  friends.  Now  all  this  is 
very  pretty ;  but  while  I  thus  philosophize,  my  heart  is  in  my 
throat,  and  tells  me  at  every  syllable  that  I  lie.  It  tells  me  that 
its  attachment  to  any  one  object,  however  ardent,  however  near 
approaching  to  adoration,  could  never  sever  the  ties  that  hold  it 
to  its  friends,  and  that  in  the  commerce  of  affection  there  can 
be  no  monopoly ;  it  rebels  against  the  doctrine  of  concentration 
aforesaid,  and  kicks  the  business  of  the  burning-glass  to  the  devil. 
However,  these  things  are  all  mysteries  to  us,  the  uninitiated, 


224  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

and  it  is  presumption  to  reason  about  them.  You  husbands, 
happy  race,  could,  if  you  would,  tell  us  all  about  it.  But  I  have 
said  I  forgive  you,  and  though  you  were  ten  times  more  guilty 
than  you  are,  yet,  I  being  your  confessor,  either  with  or  without 
reason,  your  sins  would  all  be  absolved.  In  August  last,  I  was 
at  the  old  place  of  our  friendship,  Fryeburg.  I  have  no  other 
sorrow  for  your  leaving  that  town,  than  that  you  are  so  much 
further  from  the  spot  of  earth  I  live  on.  And  even  this  sor 
row  is  diminished  by  my  ignorance  of  the  place  which  may 
hereafter  be  burdened  by  me.  At  present,  my  mind  is  not  en 
tirely  easy  at  the  idea  of  being  long  here.  But  habit,  you  know, 
does  great  things.  And  while  I  think  little  of  any  removal,  I 
say  nothing.  Parker  and  wife  are  as  comfortable  as  fancy  can 
feign.  When  I  call  of  an  evening,  I  find  them  as  snug  and 
close  as  "  Will  and  Mary,  on  the  coin."  Brother  Eastman  lost 
his  wife  of  a  consumption  in  November ;  he  is  becoming  a  gay 
young  spark  again.  Mr.  Thompson  left  his  family  at  Salisbury, 
South  Road,  while  he  passes  his  winter,  for  the  last  time  at 
present,  as  they  say  at  the  theatre,  at  the  city  of  Washington. 
New  Hampshire  is  precisely  what  you  saw  it  last,  and  if  I 
were  to  write  till  my  fingers  ached,  I  doubt  whether  I  could  give 
you  an  item  that  you  would  give  a  fig  to.  know.  The  little 
quotation  which  you  copied  into  yours,  fresh  from  the  lips  of 
somebody,  who  stood  at  your  elbow  while  you  wrote,  I  was 
very  much  pleased  with.  I  protest  I  think  it  the  most  eloquent 
little  saying  I  have  met  with.  Will  you  be  pleased  to  ascertain 
how  much  of  my  love  it  is  lawful  for  me  to  send  to  your  wife, 
and  when  you  have  settled  the  quantity  to  a  scruple,  I  pray  you 
give  it  to  Phebe,  with  the  lowest  bow  you  can  make. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  very  sincerely  your  friend  and  obedient  servant, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     If  you  should  be  at  Merrimac,  let  me  hear  of  it. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  225 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    MERRILL. 

Boscawen,  March  8,  1807. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — Yours  of  February  13,  accompanied  by 
your  election  sermon,  were  duly  received.  I  pray  you,  accept 
my  most  hearty  thanks  for  both.  How  happy,  my  good  friend, 
am  I  when  the  tedium  of  business  is  relieved  by  a  communica 
tion  of  this  sort.  And  I  am  more  abundantly  grateful,  if  the 
communication  is  a  little  moral  or  serious,  because  I  am  happy 
to  have  my  mind  called  back  from  the  pursuit  of  ordinary  affairs 
to  a  contemplation  of  serious  things. 

As  to  your  sermon,  I  cannot  say  what  I  think  of  it  without 
seeming  to  flatter  you.  When  I  took  it  up,  I  took  my  pen 
determined  to  mark  such  passages  "  as  pleased  me."  I  assure 
you  I  have  blurred  and  blotted  you  pretty  well.  Page  10  con 
tains  some  paragraphs  of  excellent  ideas  ;  pages  14,  15,  16,  and 
17,  are  favorites  with  me.  The  comparison  between  Rome  and 
.ZEtna,  page  21,  is  entirely  new,  and,  I  think,  highly  striking  and 
just. 

It  is  indeed  alarming,  that  private  character  weighs  nothing 
in  the  scale  of  qualification  for  public  office  :  as  if  a  man  had 
two  hearts  ;  a  deceitful,  depraved,  wicked  one  towards  his  neigh 
bor  ;  an  honest,  pure,  godly  one  toward  his  country  !  I  cannot 
indulge  myself  in  reflections  on  the  growth  of  this  and  a  thou 
sand  other  pernicious  sentiments  among  us,  without  falling  into 
the  horrors.  Indeed,  I  fear  that  our  country  is  growing  corrupt 
at  a  rate  which  distances  the  speed  of  every  other.  I  do  not 
say  that  the  degree  of  positive  corruption  at  present  is  so  great, 
but  the  course  towards  total  depravity  is  swift.  Nevertheless, 
you  say  truly,  "  The  Lord  reigneth ; "  and  while  I  write  that 
sentence,  I  feel  a  consolation  in  my  heart  which  I  would  not  ex 
change  for  the  sceptre  of  Bonaparte.  You  observe,  "  that  how 
ever  melancholy  prospects  may  be  in  this  country,  they  are  far 
worse  in  Europe."  I  thought  you  were  going  to  say,  "  they  are 
bright  in  heaven."  As  to  any  human  exertions  being  able 
to  rectify  the  disordered  affairs  of  this  world,  it  is  all  out  of  the 
question.  Empires  are  crushed  in  a  day.  All  that  is  ancient, 
all  that  is  venerable,  all  that  is  valued  in  Europe,  is  overwhelmed 
by  the  mighty  torrent  of  French  power.  Yet  so  did  Cyrus,  and 


226  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

so  may  God  do,  by  means  of  any  instruments,  and  you  and  I 
will  endeavor,  with  his  assistance,  to  rely  on  his  protection. 

The  times  are  such  I  am  surprised  at  nothing.  If,  before  I 
rise  from  my  table,  I  should  learn  that  Bonaparte  is  in  London, 
it  would  not  astonish  me.  I  am  persuaded  that  a  great  revolu 
tion  is  taking  place,  not  only  in  Europe,  but  through  the  world. 
Society  is  deeply  shaken  everywhere.  The  minds  of  men  are 
flying  from  all  steadfast  principles,  like  an  arrow  from  the  bow. 
Principles  are  called  prejudices,  and  duty,  scrupulosity.  Where 
all  this  will  end,  you  and  I  cannot  tell.  May  we  at  all  times 
have  grace  to  say,  with  honest  and  sincere  hearts,  "  Father  in 
heaven,  thy  will  be  done." 

I  rejoice  that. you  have  so  comfortable  a  cage.  A  bird  you 
cannot  but  find  easily.  Your  friend  Webster  has  neither  cage 
nor  bird.  However,  he  lives  in  hopes. 

I  have  no  very  great  objections  to  sending  you  a  copy  of  my 
Phi  Beta  Kappa  speech ;  a  small  one,  however,  is,  that  not  being 
printed  I  should  be  obliged  to  write  it  off.  You  must  not  dis 
appoint  us  next  Commencement.  A  journey  over  the  mountain 
will  do  you  no  injury.  Pray  do  not  fail.  When  I  have  better 
health  than  at  present,  for  you  must  know  I  am  quite  out  of 
health,  I  will,  I  think,  write  you  a  better  letter. 

In  the  mean  time  remind  me  of  the  promise. 

Adieu,  D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    FULLER. 

Portsmouth,  December  2,  1807. 
DEAR  SIR, — I  have  received  yours  of  the  27th  November,  and 

will  regard  its  contents. 

******* 

I  agree  with  you  that  it  is  strange  we  have  not  interchanged 
letters  oftener. 

If  you  have  an  excuse,  in  the  pressure  of  family  matters,  I  am 
clearly  without  one.  I  have  not  feasted  the  appetite  of  my  eyes 
on  the  Paragon  this  long  time.  Yet  I  can  well  believe  all  you 
say  of  her,  for  I  know  you  observe  such  things  nicely. 

I  like  very  much  your  notion  of  coming  this  way  with  Mrs. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  227 

Fuller.  If  the  fates  are  propitious,  I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to 
afford  you  a  shelter,  in  a  year  or  two.  I  have  been  a  young  dog 
long  enough,  and  now  think  of  joining  myself,  as  soon  as  con 
venient,  to  that  happy  and  honorable  society  of  which  you  are 
one ;  the  society  of  married  men.  Can  I  do  better  ? 

I  think  when  I  saw  you  last  I  was  about  removing  to  this 
place.  As  yet  I  have  little  opportunity  of  forming  any  opinion 
of  my  prospects ;  in  short,  I  do  not  regard  prospects  ! 

I  am  made  up  in  my  opinion  to  stay,  and  therefore,  what  I 
should  see  to  be  before  me,  would  not  alter  my  resolution.  I 
do  not  look  out,  therefore,  lest  I  should  not  be  pleased  with  the 
view. 

In  all  sorts  of  weather,  however,  I  am  and  always  shall  be, 
Your  obed't  serv't, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

I  like  the  alteration  of  your  name. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.   BINGHAM. 

Portsmouth,  February  27,  1808. 

DEAR  BINGHAM, — "  Friendship,  like  love,  is  destroyed  by  long 
ibsence,  though  it  may  be  increased  by  short  intermissions."  I 
this  moment  read  this  sentence  in  one  of  the  numbers  of  The 
Idler,  and  as  I  read,  the  idea  of  my  old  friend  Hervey  rushed 
into  my  mind. 

What  a  horrible  thing  it  is,  my  dear  friend,  that  I  have  neither 
heard  from  you  nor  written  to  you  for  twelve  months.  How  is 
it  that  our  lips  have  been  sealed  so  long  ?  I  would  not  have 
believed  such  a  thing  could  happen,  though  ten  wise  men  had 
foretold  it.  But  so  it  is.  When  busied  about  many  things,  the 
mind  is  easily  persuaded  to  defer  until  to-morrow  that  which 
there  is  no  pressing  necessity  of  doing  to-day. 

Since  I  have  seen  you  and  written  you,  I  have  changed  my 
residence  from  Boscawen  to  this  place.  Some  brief  narration 
of  my  life  since  June,  1806,  seems  necessary  to  bring  up  the 
view  of  the  present,  so  that  we  may  go  on  in  the  old  way  of 
correspondence ;  for  if  ever  I  neglect  writing  you  so  long  a 
time  again,  I  shall  have  lost  my  senses. 


228  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

My  business  at  Boscawen  was  tolerable,  but  not  altogether 
to  my  mind.  A  little  money  might  be  made  there,  but  no  pleas 
ure  of  a  social  sort  enjoyed.  My  brother  Ezekiel  was  admit 
ted  to  the  bar  in  September  last,  and  to  him  I  made  an  offer  of 
my  office.  The  truth  is,  our  family  affairs  at  Salisbmy  rendered 
it  necessary  for  one  of  us  to  reside  in  that  neighborhood,  and 
not  being  very  willing  to  take  charge  of  the  farm,  I  concluded 
to  indorse  over  to  my  brother  both  farm  and  office,  if  he  wrould 
take  both  together.  Being  thus  left  to  seek  a  new  place  of 
abode,  I  came  to  this  town,  a  measure  which  I  had  in  some  de 
gree  contemplated  for  a  length  of  time.  I  found  myself  here  the 
latter  part  of  September.  I  knew  few  people  here,  and  Mr. 
Adams  was  the  only  person  who  advised  to  the  measure. 

Hitherto,  I  have  done  as  much  business  as  I  ought  to  expect. 
There  are  eight  or  nine  of  us  who  fill  writs,  in  town.  Of  course 
my  share  cannot  be  large,  even  if  I  should  take  my  equal  divi 
dend.  On  the  whole,  however,  I  am  satisfied  that  I  did  right  to 
come,  and  suppose  shall  meet  as  much  success  as  I  deserve.  I 
have  a  pleasant  room,  in  a  good  situation ;  have  made  some 
additions  to  my  library,  which  is,  nevertheless,  yet  very  small ; 
have  some  pleasant  acquaintances  in  town,  and  time  rolls  along 
pretty  agreeably ;  "jam  satis  est."  I  will  expatiate  no  further 
on  that  endearing  subject,  self.  Now,  my  dear  Bingham,  a  little 
account  from  you,  to  balance  this,  would  be  truly  a  precious 
morsel,  and  I  trust  I  shall  not  long  be  without  it.  Mr.  Stevens, 
your  cousin,  I  see  often,  and  the  oftener  I  see  the  better  I  like 
him.  He  boards  with  me,  when  here,  and  we  have  become  a 
good  deal  acquainted.  He  tells  me  many  things  of  you  which 
I  am  fond  of  hearing.  Among  the  good  people  of  Alstead,  I 
know  you  must  be  esteemed,  and  I  fancy  with  the  bad  you  will 
not  be  unpopular. 

Pray  write  me  a  long  epistle,  and  in  the  mean  time  give  my 
love  to  the  amiable  P y. 

I  am,  dear  James,  with  undiminished  affection,  your  friend, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  229 

DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

(EXTRACT.) 

Portsmouth,  March  3,  1808. 

DEAR  E. — I  am  just  now  distressed  for  some  Hillsborough 
blanks.  I  must  have  twenty.  If  you  send  a  coach  with  them, 
let  me  have  that  number  by  next  Wednesday.  It  would  seem 
a  small  business  to  send  a  boy  down  upon,  but  it  is  of  very  con 
siderable  consequence  to  me  to  have  them,  and  if  they  cannot 
come  otherwise,  despatch  J.  Oilman,  not  telling  him  or  any 
body  what  the  business  is. 

Money  I  have  none  ;  I  shall  certainly  be  hanged  before  three 
weeks,  if  I  cannot  get  some.  What  can  be  done  ? 

Sue  every  body.  I  send  the  copy  of  the  Peterson  note.  Sue 
young  Doctor,  without  fail.  Mr.  Ladd,  the  bearer,  is  entitled 
to  receive  two  hundred  and  ten  dollars  of  J.  Wilcox.  Have 
you  heard  any  thing  about  it  ? 

Yours  always,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  shall  almost  perish  if  I  have  not  my  twenty  Hills- 
borough  blanks  by  Wednesday  night. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  TO  EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 
(EXTRACTS.) 

Portsmouth,  March  9,  1808. 

DEAR  SQUIRE, — I  have  just  been  favored  by  the  sight  of  Sir 
James  Atkinson,  Bart.,  convoying  a  few  blanks,  for  which  I  am 
much  obliged  to  you.  He  brings  but  twenty-one,  of  which  I 
shall  take  the  greater  part,  and  send  you  the  lesser. 

******* 

I  have  already  got  to  the  second  item  in  my  will ;  expecting 
to  be  hanged,  as  I  said ;  but  not  quite  so  soon.  I  think  I  shall 
subsist  until  March.  "  Sue  every  body ; "  that's  the  word. 

As  to  the  Gunpowder,  he  is  gone  a  journey ;  if  I  have  no  ear 
lier  chance  to  send  him,  shall  ride  to  Amherst,  but  think  I  shall 
send  him  sooner. 

Tell  Nat.  that  I  do  not  thank  him  for  his  love.  It  is  like  the 
priest's  blessing  ;  if  it  were  worth  any  thing  he  would  not  bestow 
VOL.  i.  20 


230  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

it.  If  it  were  as  valuable  as  ten  minutes'  time,  I  should  not  re 
ceive  it,  because  he  will  not  use  so  many  minutes  in  writing  to 
me.  Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Hopkinton,  May  5,  1808. 

I  AVAIL  myself  of  Mr.  Adams's  politeness  to  give  you  thanks 
for  yours  of  April  17.  I  do  not  charge  you  with  that  species  of 
flattery  of  which  deceit  makes  any  portion,  but  the  partiality  of 
your  feelings  leads  you  to  some  rather  warm  and  unjust  opin 
ions.  I  have  nothing  to  charge  against  fortune,  on  the  score  of 
professional  success,  and  yet  I  have  nothing  to  boast,  beyond  the 
ordinary  success  of  young  men.  I  am  earning  a  small  living, 
and  have  long  been  convinced  that  I  never  shall  be  rich. 

Horace  Hall,  our  friend,  told  me  in  March  that  some  of  your 
friends  intended  to  nominate  you  for  a  county  office,  which 
he  named.  I  imagine  your  happiness  depends  very  little  on 
any  thing  of  that  sort,  although  I  believe  the  office  to  be  gain 
ful.  I  was  once  a  candidate  for  a  similar  office.  I  was 
anxious  to  obtain  it  for  some  time.  At  length  it  was  offered 
me ;  but  I  had  then  grown  sick  of  the  scheme,  and  would  not 
accept  it.  On  the  whole,  I  should  advise  you,  if  you  should 
be  invited  to  accept  that  office,  to  follow  your  feelings.  If  it 
will  enable  you  to  live  in  a  more  pleasant  place,  if  it  is  pleasant 
to  Madam,  if  it  is  more  lucrative  than  your  practice,  all  these 
things  are  in  favor  of  acceptance.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
duties  are  probably  more  irksome  ihan  professional  practice, 
perhaps  not  more  laborious,  but  probably  more  tedious. 

I  am  glad  your  list  is  so  good.  Your  practice  must  be  much 
above  mediocrity,  and  I  am  sure  that  what  you  get  you  will 
hold. 

I  had  forgotten  that  I  owed  Mr.  Temple,  and  now  enclose  you 
three  dollars  for  him. 

Give  my  love  to  P.  and  assure  her  I  should  be  extremely 
happy  to  see  her,  either  in  her  present  name  or  any  other  that 
she  may  choose  to  assume. 

I  am,  dear  Hervey,  yours,  sincerely, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  231 

N.  B.     I  forgot  to  tell  you,  that  in  June  next,  I  contemplate 
to  set  my  bachelor  friends  a  laudable  example. 

Excuse  a  blunder ;  I  write  in  court ;  the  region  of  blunders. 

NOTE.     The  last  line  refers  to  his  having  begun  his  letter  on  the  second  page 
of  the  sheet. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Portsmouth,  March  2,  1810. 
DEAR  ESQUIRE. — 

Mr.  K.  writes  that  there  is  reason  to  fear  that  Boscawen  will 
lot  be  quite  so  Federal  as  last  year.  This  will  never  do.  Your 
jharacters  are  committed.  Make  Boscawen  "toe  the  mark" 
)nce  more,  as  nobly  as  last  year.  I  cannot  think  you  will  fail 
this  respect.  As  to  the  Representative  let  that  go  easy.  If 
the  G.'s  and  C.'s  are  disposed  that  you  should  go,  go ;  if  not, 
altogether  and  heartily,  stay.  It  would  be  weakening  rather 
than  increasing  your  personal  influence,  to  go,  unless  it  were 
nem.  con.  I  should  like,  well  enough,  to  gratify  the  good  old 
Captain  once.  The  time  is  nearly  expired  when  we  promised 
the  Captain  to  take  up  his  name.  If  he  wishes  it,  it  shall  be 
done.  Please  see  him  immediately  on  the  subject.  Enoch  G. 
of  Canterbury,  is  the  man  I  intend  to  obtain  in  his  room.  It 
would  be  expensive  for  me  to  go  up  on  purpose.  Will  you,  or 
can  you,  effect  it  for  me  ?  Please  inform  me  by  next  post.  I 
must  entreat  your  special  attention  to  this. 

We  must  make  one  extra  effort,  this  time,  to  bear  down  all 
vice  and  immorality. 

You  may  depend  on  hearing  that  we  do  our  duty  this  way. 
For  Reputation's  sake  do  yours. 

Yours,  &c., 

D.  WEBSTER. 


232  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

February,  1811. 

DEAR  ESQUIRE, — I  send  you  the  jalap,  the  gum  opium,  and 
some  lemons,  instead  of  oranges,  of  which  there  are  none  in 
town.  If  I  can  find  any  balsam-tolu,  I  will  send  it ;  as  yet, 
have  found  none. 

Our  court  is  yet  in  session ;  this  is  Monday,  the  third  week. 
I  have  no  leisure  at  all.  Am  glad  to  hear  your  prospects  are  so 
good.  Unless  we  are  very  much  deceived,  we  shall  do  well.  I 
do  not  think  we  shall  get  half ;  but  I  do  think  we  shall  come 
within  seventy-five.  Indeed,  it  is  not  impossible  we  may  get 
half. 

I  am  exceedingly  alarmed  about  Sally.1  The  moment  the 
court  rises,  I  shall  set  out  to  see  her,  and,  if  possible,  carry  my 
wife.  I  hope  you  will  attend  her  daily.  Do  not  fail  to  write  to 
me  by  next  conveyance.  If  Mr.  Wood  does  not  come,  put  your 
letter  into  mail ;  I  shall  get  it  Tuesday. 

We  are  all  bustle — adieu.  May  God,  in  his  great  mercy, 
preserve  us  and  bless  us,  and  our  friends. 

Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER   TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Concord,  Friday  evening,  6  r.  M.  June  4,  1813. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — The  great  men  of  the  realm  met  here  Wednes 
day.  For  Speaker,  T.  W.  Thompson,  106 ;  C.  Storer,  75 ;  scat 
tering,  2.  H.  Hutchinson,  Clerk  of  the  House ;  Oliver  Peabody, 
President  of  the  Senate  ;  S.  A.  Kendal,  Clerk.  Chase  and  Tay 
lor  elected  by  the  people.  No  choice  of  counsellors,  in  Grafton, 
(according  to  the  report  of  the  committee,)  Colby  and  Merrill, 
the  candidates.  Mr.  Gilman's  plurality  over  P.  809.  Some 
votes  given  for  Mr.  G.  were  not  legally  returned ;  had  they  been, 
the  plurality  would  have  been  as  above ;  it  will  now  be  less. 

His  Excellency  has  been  escorted  this  afternoon,  from  Pem- 

1 A  sister,  Sarah  Jane  Webster,  who  not  long  afterwards  died  of  a  consumption. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  233 

broke,  by  a  more  respectable  and  numerous  escort  than  Concord 
ever  witnessed,  under  the  direction  of  Marshall s  W.  Webster, 
and  H.  G.  Cilley.  At  this  moment  the  bells  are  ringing  and 
cannon  firing,  in  demonstration  of  the  people's  joy.  Thirsty, 
wearied,  and  covered  with  dust,  I  am  now  writing.  At  a  pre 
vious  meeting,  Tuesday  evening,  it  was  unanimously  agreed  to 
support  Upham,  for  Speaker ;  he,  however,  declined.  To-mor 
row  morning,  ten  o'clock,  we  go  into  the  choice  of  Senator. 
Mr.  Goddard  our  first  choice ;  if  he  declines,  Jeremiah  Mason 
will  certainly  be  the  man.  You  may  depend  on  this.  It  will  be 
so. 

I  have  given  you  good  news  enough  for  one  letter.     Pray 
write  me  often  and  long. 

Yours,  in  love, 

E.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Washington,  June  4,  1813. 

DEAR  BINGHAM, — I  have  nothing  in  the  world  to  say  to  you 
)f  any  importance ;  but  after  struggling  with  my  conscience 
for  some  time  on  the  point,  I  cannot  make  that  out  to  be  a 
good  apology  for  not  writing.  It  is  sometimes  important  to 
know  that  nothing  important  can  be  told.  In  our  political 
capacity,  we,  that  is,  the  House  of  Representatives,  have  done 
little  or  nothing.  The  time  for  us  to  be  put  on  the  stage  and 
moved  by  the  wires,  has  not  yet  come.  I  suppose  the  "  show  "  is 
now  in  preparation,  and  at  the  proper  time  the  farce  of  legislating 
will  be  exhibited.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  the  "  projects  " 
will  not  be  opposed,  as  far  as  may  be,  nor  is  it  certain  that  all 
the  Democrats  will  "hang  together,"  on  the  great  subject  of 
taxes;  but  before  any  thing  is  attempted  to  be  done  here,  it 
must  be  arranged  elsewhere. 

Thus  far  the  weather  has  been  comfortable,  and  so  long  as 
one  keeps  within  doors,  the  heat  is  not  oppressive.  Much  walk 
ing,  however,  is  not  practicable,  especially  as  there  are  few  trees 
in  this  city,  to  keep  off  the  sun.  We  have  the  advantage  of  you, 
in  a  better  room  to  sit  in,  in  having  less  to  do,  and  in  the  means 
of  acquaintance  with  a  greater  variety  of  characters.  You  have 
20* 


234  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

over  us  the  advantage  of  having  a  majority  on  your  side,  as  1 
trust ;  the  prospect  of  a  short  session ;  the  hope  of  doing  some 
good,  and  a  little  society,  pleasantly  mixed,  instead  of  the  un 
varying  masculinity  of  our  circles  here.  A  few  ladies,  indeed,  are 
to  be  seen  by  going  to  the  weekly  rout  at  the  palace  ;  but  they 
are  there  only  as  so  many  curiosities — rarce  aves — fit  for  all  the 
purposes  of  social  life,  save  only  the  unimportant  particulars  of 
speaking  and  being  spoken  to.  I  understand  that  in  the  winter 
session,  when  there  are  more  ladies  in  the  city,  the  aforesaid  evil 
is  in  some  degree  mitigated.  I  have  been  to  the  levee  or  draw 
ing  room,  but  once.  It  is  a  mere  matter  of  form.  You  make 
your  bow  to  Mrs.  Madison,  and  to  Mr.  M.,  if  he  comes  in  your 
way,  but  he  being  there  merely  as  a  guest,  is  not  officially 
entitled  to  your  cong£.  Monsieur  Serurier,  Madame  Bona 
parte,  the  Russian  Minister,  heads  of  departments,  and  tails 
of  departments,  members  of  congress,  &c.,  &c.,  here  and  there, 
interspersed  with  military  and  naval  hat  and  coat,  make  up  the 
group.  You  stay  from  five  minutes  to  an  hour,  as  you  please ; 
eat  and  drink  what  you  can  catch,  without  danger  of  surfeit, 
and  if  you  can  luckily  find  your  hat  and  stick,  then  take  French 
leave  ;  and  that's  going  to  the  "  levee." 

Yours,  with  great  esteem, 

D.  W. 

I  hope  you  will  be  mindful  of  us  while  you  are  at  Concord. 
Very  little  of  the  proceedings  of  our  general  court,  you  know, 
ordinarily  get  into  the  papers.  We  shah1,  of  course,  be  much 
dependent  on  the  communications  of  our  friends.  If  any  thing 
should  occur  here,  seeming  to  be  interesting  or  important,  I  shah" 
remember  you. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Saturday,  June  5,  1813. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — I  wrote  you  last  evening,  giving  some  ac 
count  of  our  doings.  We  have  not  done  much  to-day,  save 
choosing  a  Senator  in  Congress.  I  imagine  I  shall  be  able  to 
write  you  on  Monday  evening,  and  inform  you  whether  Dr.  God- 
dard  accepts  or  declines.  In  case  of  the  latter,  we  shall  proceed 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  235 

anew,  in  the  choice,  and  shall  elect  Mr.  Mason.     Of  this  I  am 
confident.     It  must  be  so. 

The  judiciary  and  the  election  bills  are  now  before  the  com 
mittees.  Mr.  Oilman  has  been  qualified  to-day,  and  has  made 
his  speech. 

I  have  been  told  the  President's  message  has  a  pacific  aspect 
in  the  apprehension  of  many  Federalists,  in  this  quarter.  I  think 
it  very  warlike.  If  he  has  given  the  basis  on  which  the  treaty 
is  to  be  made,  under  the  Russian  mediation,  there  can  be  no 
hopes  of  a  treaty  being  concluded.  If  I  understand  him  the 
British  are  to  surrender  the  right  of  search  for  British  goods  or 
British  subjects.  The  war,  then,  will  be  likely  to  continue  as 
long  as  even  the  Kentuckians  will  desire.  I  expect  no  peace  till 
the  people  make  it.  It  will  be,  whenever  it  does  come,  the 
people's  peace.  We  must  make  peace  by  speaking  through  our 
representatives.  They  must  give  the  public  mind  an  impression 
and  direction,  and  that  in  its  turn  will  strengthen  their  hands 
and  encourage  their  hearts.  You  are  in  congress  at  a  time  when 
men  who  love  their  country  and  have  talents  to  promote  her 
best  interests,  would  like  to  be  there.  It  is  a  time  for  men  to 
act  in. 

I  have  received  three  letters  from  you,  and  hope  to  receive 
many  more.  I  should  like  to  see  the  Intelligencer,  if  it  is  per 
fectly  convenient.  We  have  heard  of  the  capture  of  The  Chesa 
peake,  and  we  all  lament  it.  It  is  a  great  loss. 

Monday,  June  7.  We  have  chosen  the  old  Secretary,  Treas 
urer,  and  Asa  Dearborn,  Commissary- General.  Dr.  Goddard 
refuses  to  go  to  see  you.  To-morrow  morning  is  assigned  for 
making  a  choice  of  Senator. 

I  will  send  you  his  letter  next  mail. 

Yours,  &c.,  E.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

"Washington,  June  28,  1813. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  have  not  written  you  for  some  time,  prin 
cipally  for  the  reason  that  I  have  had  nothing  to  say.  My  last 
accounts  from  Concord  are  to  the  21st  instant.  You  had  then 
refused  to  postpone  the  judiciary  bill.  I  hope,  and  have  no 


236  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

doubt,  you  passed  it.  You  have  learned  the  fate  of  my  resolu 
tions.1  We  had  a  warm  time  of  it,  for  four  days,  and  then  the 
other  side  declined  further  discussion.  I  had  prepared  myself 
for  a  little  speech,  but  the  necessity  of  speaking  was  prevented. 
I  went  with  Rhea  of  Tennessee,  to  deliver  the  resolutions  to 
the  President.  I  found  him  in  his  bed,  sick  of  a  fever.  I  gave 
them  to  him,  and  he  merely  answered  that  they  would  be 
attended  to.  We  have  received  no  answer.  The  President 
remains  sick,  although  he  is  thought  to  be  getting  better. 

We  shall  probably  get  up  some  resolutions,  directly  attacking 
the  war.  If  so,  I  suppose  I  shall  shoot  my  little  gun.  We  have 
some  fine  fellows  on  our  side  of  the  House. 

The  weather  has  been  tolerable,  except  four  or  five  days.  I 
should  not  like  to  stay  here  after  the  first  week  in  July.  As 
soon  as  my  vote  on  the  taxes  is  recorded,  I  intend  setting  out. 
The  taxes  will  probably  be  laid ;  but  it  is  not  certain. 

Mr.  Mason  2  has  been  here  a  week.  He  will  certainly  obtain 
great  weight  in  the  Senate. 

Give  us  a  letter  often.  Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

The  British  are  in  great  force  down  the  bay.  Hampton,  near 
Norfolk,  has  fallen  into  their  hands. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  July  4,  1813. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — You  have  done  a  great  work  at  Concord ; 
may  your  reward  be  great.  I  have  received  the  judiciary  bill, 
&c.  All  is  right.  I  have  no  objection  to  the  candidates  you 
mention  for  judicial  offices.  I  do  not  hear  whether  L.  came 
into  this. 

We  are  yet  on  the  taxes ;  they  will  probably  pass.  It  will 
take  so  long  to  adjust  the  details,  and  to  bring  the  bills  before 

1  Resolutions  offered  by  Mr.  Webster,  calling  upon  the  President  for  informa 
tion  with  regard  to  the  French  Decrees,  repealing  the  Berlin  and  Milan  Decrees, 
&c.  &c.  June  10,  1813. 

2  Jeremiah  Mason. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  237 

the  House  to  be  discussed  on  their  general  principles,  that  I  very 
much  doubt  whether  any  full  discussion  of  the  war  will  be  had 
this  session.  For  myself,  I  am  determined  not  to  remain  here 
more  than  ten  days.  The  weather  is  already  very  hot ;  more  so 
than  ever  I  experienced. 

The  President  has  sent  no  answer  yet.  I  must  in  decency 
stay  till  he  does,  if  it  comes  in  any  season,  in  order  to  see  if 
supplementary  questions  are  necessary.  He  will  be  followed 
up  on  that  subject.  An  inquiry  into  the  failure  on  the  frontier 
is  talked  of;  I  think  there  will  not  be  any  time  this  session. 

We  have  several  projects,  and  a  good  many  good  hands  to 
give  a  lift.  We  are  trying  to  organize  our  opposition,  and  bring 
all  our  forces  to  act  in  concert. 

There  is  recently  appointed  a  kind  of  committee,  to  superin 
tend  our  concerns,  viz :  Pickering,  Webster,  Wm.  Reed,  Baylies, 
Porter,  Pitkin,  Grosvenor,  Oakley,  Stockton,  Ridgely,  Hanson, 
ShefFey,  and  Gaston. 

It  will  take  us  this  session  to  find  one  another  out. 

Yours,  D.  W. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  December  29,  1813. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  arrived  here  last  evening,  and  here  learned 
of  the  Portsmouth  fire  and  the  consumption  of  my  house.  I 
have  only  time  to  say,  that  the  safety  of  my  family  compensates 
the  loss  of  the  property.  Mr.  Mason  urges  me  that  Mrs.  Web 
ster  may  remain  at  his  house  till  spring ;  I  think  this  will  be 
best,  except  perhaps  a  short  visit,  if  the  travelling  should  be 
good,  into  your  quarter.  I  have  not  time  to  say  more,  but 
thought  you  would  be  glad  to  hear  that  I  am  in  possession  of 
myself  after  the  knowledge  of  such  a  loss. 

I  am  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


238  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    I.    P.    DAVIS. 

Washington,  January  6,  1814. 

DEAR  SIR, — Our  town  has  met  with  another  conflagration.  I 
heard  not  a  syllable  of  it  till  I  reached  here.  I  found  a  letter 
from  my  wife,  but  so  horrible  was  the  general  account  which 
the  people  about  me  gave,  that  it  put  my  firmness  to  a  severe 
test  to  open  it.  When  I  found  nothing  lost  but  house  and 
property,  you  may  well  imagine  how  much  I  felt  relieved  from 
distress. 

You  will  be  glad  to  learn  that  my  houseless  family  have 
found  a  good  shelter  for  the  winter.  Whether  at  Mr.  Mason's, 
or  with  my  friends  in  the  country,  I  do  not  yet  know.  They 
were  offered  an  asylum  at  either  place.  I  had  at  first  almost 
made  up  a  resolution  to  return  immediately.  Mrs.  Webster 
had  anticipated  such  a  resolution,  and  in  her  first  letter  advised 
against  it.  On  the  whole,  considering  how  critical  the  times  are 
here,  I  shall,  I  believe,  stay  through  the  winter. 

The  great  news  from  Europe  comes  seasonably ;  at  least  to 
me.  It  enables  one  to  forget  in  some  degree  his  own  misfor 
tunes.  We  have  all  been  in  danger  of  worse  evils  than  burnings, 
and  exposed  to  a  foe  more  merciless  than  all  the  elements.  I 
trust  Providence  has  delivered  us. 

Bonaparte's  disasters  produce  a  visible  effect  here.  The 
administration  seems  to  be  appalled.  It  seems  at  present  to  be 
suspending  its  war  measures,  and  taking  time  to  consider,  and 
perhaps  also  to  ascertain  whether  the  voice  of  the  party  is  still 
for  war.  There  are  evident  symptoms  of  schism  in  the  Cabinet, 
and  in  the  party  in  Congress.  Some  construe  the  despatches 
to  be  pacific,  others  say  they  will  bear  no  such  construction. 
That  is,  those  who  are  still  for  war,  say  there  is  nothing  in  the 
despatches ;  those  who  begin  to  grow  sick  of  it,  affect  to  see 
new  evidence  of  a  pacific  disposition  on  the  part  of  England,  in 
these  despatches,  and  in  the  speech  of  the  Prince  Regent.  One 
of  the  leading  Democratic  Senators  detained  me  half  an  hour 
to  hear  his  comment  on  the  word  "  Reciprocity  "  in  the  Prince 
Regent's  speech.  He  thinks  it  a  word  full  of  peace,  and  hangs 
all  his  hopes  on  "  Reciprocity."  Monroe  will  have  it,  that  the 
despatches  are  pacific ;  whence  it  is  inferred  that  his  "  thoughts 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  239 

are  turned  on  peace."  In  truth,  his  thoughts  are  turned  princi 
pally  on  the  next  election.  Armstrong  can  see  nothing  in  the 
despatches  which  looks  like  sentiments  of  returning  justice  in 
the  minds  of  the  British  ministry.  He  is  still  for  trying  the  tug 
of  war. 

Monroe  and  Armstrong  cannot  go  on  long  together.  I  have 
no  doubt  Armstrong  will  fall.  Vide  Democratic  Press.  If  any 
thing  prevents,  it  will  be  the  influence  of  Clay,  Grundy,  and  the 
other  lights  of  the  West,  who  are  supposed  to  be  for  more  war, 
and  for  Armstrong.  Excuse  a  long  letter ;  which  when  begun, 
was  meant  only  for  an  envelop.  Make  my  respects  to  Mrs. 
Davis  and  believe  me  with  esteem, 

Yours,  &c.,  D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  January  30,  1814. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  enclose  you  a  few  creatures,  called 
speeches.  One  of  them  you  will  find  I  have  corrected,  in  some 
)f  its  printer's  errors,  with  my  pen ;  please  do  the  same  to  the 
ist,  before  they  go  out  of  your  hands.  I  shall  send  a  few  to 
four  townsmen,  you  will  learn  who  by  looking  at  the  post-office, 
for  I  have  not  my  list  by  me  now,  and  so  cannot  say  exactly  for 
riiom  I  shall  send  to  you.  Of  those  that  come  to  your  hands, 
jive  them  in  my  name  to  those  you  think  proper,  Federalists  or 
Jemocrats.1 

The  speech  is  not  exactly  what  it  ought  to  be.  I  had  not 
time.  I  had  no  intention  of  speaking  till  nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  delivered  the  thing  about  two.  I  could  make  it 
better,  but  I  dare  say  you  think  it  would  be  easier  to  make  a 
lew  one,  than  to  mend  it.  It  was  well  enough  received  at  the 
ic,  and  our  side  of  the  House  said  they  would  have  it  in  this 
form.  So  much  for  speeches. 

What  do  you  do  with  such  a  house  full  of  women  and  chil 
dren  ?  Especially,  how  do  you  make  out  to  keep  the  house  quiet, 
with  those  two  black-eyed,  brown-headed,  chattering,  romping 

1  Speech  on  the  "  Encouragement  of  Enlistments,"  January  14,  1814. 


240  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

cousins  in  it,  and  more  especially  with  that  one,  which,  though 
youngest,  is  yet  biggest ;  but  though  biggest,  I  fear  not  best  ? 
As  to  him  who  sleeps  in  his  borrowed  cradle,  and  bears  the  loss 
of  his  own  with  so  much  moderation  of  temper,  I  trust  he  is 
born  to  be  a  philosopher.  To  all  these,  together  with  their 
mothers,  you  must  give  my  love,  for  I  have  not  time  to-day  to 
write  more  than  this  letter. 

To  whatever  projects  for  carrying  on  the  war  government 
may  adopt,  they  will  find  obstacles.  There  will  yet  be  much 
discussion  in  both  houses.  Some  excellent  speeches  have  been 
made  in  the  Senate,  especially  one  on  the  non-importation  bill, 
by  Mr.  Gore.  As  to  the  prospect  of  peace,  my  opinion  is  this : 
If  the  administration  can  get  an  army,  they  will  still  contend 
for  Canada.  If  the  high  bounty  will  not  obtain  men,  they  will 
certainly  try  conscription.  If  Bonaparte  rises,  they  will  rise ;  if 
he  is  kept  down  and  they  can  get  no  army,  they  will  have  peace, 
if  they  can  get  it.  Write  me  often.  Do  you  yet  talk  about  the 
election  ?  Who  are  candidates  ?  &c.  &c. 

Yours  as  ever,  D.  W. 

P.  S.  To  MRS.  GRACE  WEBSTER, — I  am  sorry  the  Rev. 
Ephraim  has  got  our  little  white  house,  but  we  will  find  an 
other.  I  hope  you  will  do  a  good  deal  of  visiting  this  winter, 
because  it  seems  to  be  a  leisure  time.  You  must  especially  go 
and  visit  Mr.  Wood  and  Mr.  Price,  and  Deacon  Gerrish,  &c. ; 
also  all  the  Squire's  neighbors,  as  well  as  the  Salisbury 
"  quality." 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  Friday,  February  5,  1814. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  received  yours  of  the  23d  yesterday,  and 
Grace's  of  same  date.  You  may  depend  upon  our  discussing 
public  subjects  here,  at  least  freely  and  with  spirit ;  of  the  ability, 
the  public  must  judge.  They  are  determined  not  to  take  up  my 
resolutions  this  session ;  of  this  I  am  certain.  But  on  the  loan 
bill  we  hope  to  get  a  blow  at  them.  That  bill  must  go  to  a 
committee  of  the  whole,  by  the  rules ;  and  the  previous  question 
cannot  be  called  in  committee  of  the  whole.  Gaston  and  Gros- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  241 

venor  are  prepared  to  give  great  speeches  on  that  subject.  I  do 
not  think  myself  of  trying  again,  unless  my  friends  at  the  North 
should  be  of  opinion  that  I  can  do  better. 

Mr.  Gore's  speech,  a  very  good  one,  I  shall  be  able  to  send 
you  in  the  course  of  a  few  days.  On  the  Maryland  Memorial, 
a  very  animated  debate  happened  in  both  Houses.  Mr.  King 
came  out  for  the  first  time.  You  never  heard  such  a  speaker. 
In  strength,  and  dignity,  and  fire ;  in  ease,  in  natural  effect, 
and  gesture  as  well  as  in  matter,  he  is  unequalled.  He  did  not 
make  a  set  speech,  and  did  not  expect  to  speak  at  all,  but  the 
administration  hands  objected  to  printing  the  memorial.  He 
made  a  few  remarks  on  that  point ;  somehow  Giles  got  into  the 
debate  on  the  wrong  side ;  I  do  not  know  how  it  happened,  but 
one  thing  led  to  another  till  Mr.  King  came  out  in  plump  terms 
on  the  right  of  remonstrance  and  of  resistance ;  he  said  it  was 
a  mere  question  of  prudence,  how  far  any  State  would  bear  the 
present  state  of  things,  &c.,  &c. 

Are  you  safe  in  your  election  ?  Pray  be  in  season  in  your 
measures.  Who  is  councillor  for  Hillsborough  ?  how  does  the 
New  Hampshire  sheriff  manage  ?  &c.,  &c. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    C.    B.    HADDOCK. 

Washington,  February  7,  1814. 

MY  DEAR  NEPHEW, — Although  I  have  seen  so  little  of  you 
since  you  were  a  child,  I  yet  take  a  great  interest  in  your 
welfare  as  well  on  your  own  account  as  from  an  affectionate 
remembrance  of  your  dear  mother.  Learning  from  your  uncle 
Ezekiel,  that  you  are  passing  the  winter  at  Salisbury,  I  take  the 
opportunity  of  writing  to  you,  and  of  desiring  you  in  turn  to 
write  to  me. 

You  are  now,  I  think,  in  your  Sophomore  year.  I  recollect 
that  year  was  an  interesting  one  to  me  from  the  studies  that 
belonged  to  it.  I  suppose  the  course  of  studies  is  since  that 
time  a  good  deal  altered;  but  it  was  then  Geography,  Logic, 
Mathematics,  &c.  As  we  had  before  been  confined  altogether 
to  Latin  and  Greek,  these  other  pursuits,  in  addition  to  their 
VOL.  i.  21 


242  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

real  importance,  possessed  the  charm  of  novelty.  Geography, 
especially,  is  an  entertaining  study ;  and  its  usefulness  is  as  great 
as  its  pleasure.  It  is  an  indispensable  preliminary  to  history, 
the  ancient  Epic  poetry,  and  almost  every  other  literary  pursuit. 
I  would  advise  you  never  to  read  the  history  of  any  country, 
till  you  have  studied  its  geography.  If  it  be  ancient  history, 
you  must  have  before  you  maps  of  the  country,  with  its  ancient 
names  and  divisions.  If  it  be  modern  history,  you  must  have 
maps  with  modern  names  and  divisions.  You  should  learn  to 
use  the  globes  easily,  and  should  use  them  frequently  and  freely. 
If  you  form  at  first  incorrect  ideas  of  the  situations  of  the  con 
tinents,  the  great  seas,  &c.,  you  will  find  it  very  difficult  to 
correct  them  afterwards. 

The  favorable  accounts,  my  dear  nephew,  which  I  hear  of 
your  progress  in  your  studies,  make  me  hope  that  I  can  be  in 
some  degree  useful  to  you  by  my  advice.  If  I  can,  it  will  give 
me  great  pleasure.  I  wish  you  to  write  to  me  often  and  on  any 
subject  you  please.  I  shall  remember  to  write  to  you  as  fre 
quently  as  my  leisure  will  permit.  I  hope  you  will  see  your 
grandmother  and  aunt,  and  let  them  know  you  have  heard  from 
me.  Make  my  respects  to  your  father  and  mother,  and  remem 
ber  me  to  William  and  Moses.  When  you  have  opportunity,  I 
hope  you  will  visit  your  little  cousins  at  Boscawen. 

Adieu,  my  dear  nephew, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  March  7,  1814. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — There  has  been  hardly  any  thing  transpiring 
here  this  month  out  of  which  one  could  find  materials  for  a 
letter. 

A  bankruptcy  bill  is  reported ;  probably  it  will  not  be  acted 
upon  this  session.  A  bill  making  great  alterations  in  the  judi 
ciary  will  most  likely  take  the  same  fate,  and  indeed  I  am 
doubtful  whether  the  important  subject  of  the  new  tariff  will 
not  be  postponed.  If  these  things  should  all  take  place,  we 
may  adjourn  next  month ;  I  think  we  shall. 

The  spring  is  coming  forward  here.     The  ground  is  settled 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  243 

and  dry ;  the  birds  are  appearing,  and  the  grass  is  green.  But 
spring  does  not  rush  forward  here,  as  it  does  in  New  Hampshire 
after  it  has  commenced.  It  lingers  and  gets  along  by  imper 
ceptible  degrees. 

Almost  all  that  I  know  about  your  election,  I  gather  from  the 
papers.  They  look  well ;  especially  Portsmouth  and  Keene. 
But  before  you  receive  this,  the  matter  will  be  settled ;  so  I  will 
not  trouble  you  on  that  subject.  I  imagine  you  will  not  be  in 
a  condition  to  like  to  talk  about  it ;  at  least  I  fear  so. 

I  have  no  faith  in  C ;  I  believe  he  will  shrink  and  give 

in,  and  be  paid  for  his  compliance  by  the  seals  of  state. 

Mr.  King  will  stand  candidate  for  New  York.  There  will  be 
a  severe  contest  in  that  State. 

I  think  the  nomination  of  General  Brooks  a  wise  measure. 

Give  my  love  to  mother  and  your  family,  and  let  me  hear 
from  you.  D.  W. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

"Washington,  March  28,  1814. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  send  you  to-day  Sheffey's  speech.  You 
will  at  least  like  its  length  and  substance.  We  are  yet  to  have 
one  or  two  more  in  pamphlet  form,  which  I  will  endeavor  to 
obtain  and  send.  In  relation  to  the  offer  made  by  England  to 
renew  Jay's  treaty,  I  intend  to  see  and  collect,  and  carry  home, 
what  evidence  there  is  on  the  point.  The  news  brought  by  The 
Rambler,  has  just  arrived  here ;  we  have  not  had  time  to  con 
sider  it.  It  is  vast  and  momentous. 

Most  of  the  subjects  intended  to  be  acted  upon  this  session 
are  through.  One  of  great  importance  has  lately  been  started, 
viz :  another  bank  project.  The  loan  will  fail,  unless  they  can 
help  it  on  by  a  bank.  The  National  _  Intelligencer  says  it  is 
necessary ;  and  seems  to  intimate  that  that  consideration  ought 
to  supersede  constitutional  scruples.  Of  course,  I  cannot  desert 
my  post  here,  while  so  important  a  project  is  in  agitation.  If 
this  should  go  by,  I  may,  and  think  I  shall,  be  at  your  Hopkin- 
ton  court.  I  have  written  the  Chief  Justice  to  send  Judge  E.  to 
Haverhill.  In  the  Supreme  Court  I  showed  myself  once,  twice, 
or  thrice.  In  one  case  I  charged  a  New  Yorker  three  hundred 


244  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

dollars,  and  in  two  other  cases,  a  hundred  dollars  each.     So 
much  for  prize  causes,  &c. 

There  is  no  man  in  the  court  that  strikes  me  like  Marshall. 
He  is  a  plain  man,  looking  very  much  like  Colonel  Adams,  and 
about  three  inches  taller.  I  have  never  seen  a  man  of  whose 
intellect  I  had  a  higher  opinion. 

The  court  adjourned  about  two  weeks  ago.  The  Yazoo  bill 
is  through,  passed  by  eight  majority.  It  excited  a  great  deal  of 
feeling.  All  the  Federalists  supported  the  bill,  and  some  of  the 
Democrats.  Georgians,  and  some  Virginians  and  Carolinians, 
opposed  it  with  great  heat.  Oakley  made  the  principal  speech 
of  the  Federalists  in  its  support.  Our  feeling  was  to  get  the 
Democratic  support  of  it.  Clark  of  Kentucky,  a  pretty  clever 
fellow,  made  a  handsome  speech  in  support  of  it. 

Mason  is  going  to  be  a  great  man.  He  ranks  in  the  Senate, 
I  think,  next  to  King  and  Gore.  He  has  made  some  very 
excellent  speeches. 

I  give  you  joy  of  the  election.  We  had  here  a  great  deal  of 
distress  about  it,  and  could  not  have  stood  a  defeat.  You  gave 
an  enormous  vote,  nearly  forty  thousand.  I  do  not  hear  who 
rides  for  Boscawen,  but  I  suppose  some  of  the  old  school.  Your 
vote  in  Boscawen  was  a  glorious  one,  but  nothing  gave  me 
more  pleasure  than  the  regeneration  of  Salisbury.  I  hope  that 
town  may  be  kept  right  hereafter. 

I  have  sent  Gaston's  speech  to  Captain  Benj.  Pettengill,  who 
I  hear  is  one  of  us ;  if  not,  it  will  do  him  no  hurt.  I  think  I 
shall  send  a  speech  or  something  to  Caleb  Knight.  These 
speeches  are  a  little  too  much  like  treatises. 

Yours  as  ever,  D.  W. 

Give  my  love  to  all  your  numerous  family.  I  have  to-day 
had  a  letter  enclosing  other  letters,  enclosing  locks  of  hair,  &c. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  May  29,  1814. 

CONGRESS  adjourned  yesterday,  after  half  an  hour's  session. 
Two  elections  will  be  contested ;  Bayley's  and  Hungerford's, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  245 

by  Barret  and  Taliaferro.  Messrs.  King  and  Gore  took  their 
seats  yesterday.  There  will  be  a  new  Senator  from  Delaware, 
Wells  or  Vandyke. 

There  is  no  present  prospect,  as  I  think,  of  peace,  although 
the  Madison  men  appear  to  be  very  confident  of  such  a  result 
from  the  Russian  embassy.  There  will  be  difficulty  about 
the  taxes,  inasmuch  as  the  war  party  will  be  divided  in 
respect  to  the  objects  of  taxation.  The  whiskey  tax  will  not 
be  high.  The  domestic  dram-drinking  interest  is  astonishingly 
powerful. 

I  am  going  to-day  with  Col.  Pickering,  Mr.  Stockton,  and  a 
few  others,  to  dine  with  Judge  Washington,  at  Mount  Vernon. 
House  adjourned  yesterday  to  Monday. 

Yours,  D.  W. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

(EXTRACT.) 

Washington,  October  30,  1814. 
DEAR  EZEKIEL, — 

******* 

We  have  as  yet  done  little.  The  taxes  are  before  us.  I  have 
marked  out  my  course  respecting  them,  and  shall  vote  for 
nothing  but  the  whiskey  tax.  This  I  am  anxious  to  have  laid. 
It  will  stop  distillation  in  New  England ;  a  practice  which  is 
drawing  upon  our  sources  of  life,  and  rendering  us  far  more 
dependent  than  we  otherwise  should  be  upon  others  for  bread. 
A  few  of  our  best  Federalists  feel  an  inclination  to  vote  for  the 
taxes,  owing  to  circumstances,  and  the  particular  state  of  public 
opinion  in  their  districts. 

The  terms  offered  by  England,  struck  our  folks  differently  at 
first  from  what  they  do  on  reflection.  For  my  part,  I  expected 
no  better ;  so  feeble  has  the  government  shown  itself,  and  so 
little  able  to  carry  on  the  war  successfully. 

We  have  a  plan  for  a  conscription.  I  think  I  have  sent  you 
its  outlines.  The  bill  is  drawn  principally  on  Mr.  Monroe's 
21* 


246  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

first  plan.     Of  course  we  shall  oppose  such  usurpation  all  we 
can. 

I  should  like  to  hear  from  you,  respecting  what  is  the  present 
tone  of  public  sentiment  among  you  ?  What  do  Federalists 
think  we  ought  to  do  here  ? 

Yours,  D.  W. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  November  8,  1814. 

DEAR  SIR, — We  are  now  taking  up  the  conscription  ;  we  shall, 
I  think,  let  Mr.  Troup  fill  up  the  blanks,  &c.  before  we  state  our 
objections  to  it.  I  doubt  whether  it  will  pass  ;  but  what  else 
can  government  do  ?  Voluntary  enlistments  will  not  answer. 
They  must  put  themselves  upon  some  measure  of  force,  to  get 
men.  This  they  suppose  will  answer ;  but  I  suppose  no  such 
measure  can  be  executed. 

We  have  had  a  good  deal  of  debate  upon  a  certain  volunteer 
bill ;  its  object  was  to  get  up  a  sort  of  mongrel  corps,  in  which 
members  of  congress  could  serve ;  half-way  between  regulars 
and  militia.  It  contained,  also,  a  provision  for  exempting 
these  corps,  after  serving  a  time,  from  all  further  militia  duty, 
either  to  the  general  government  or  the  State.  We  finally  laid 
the  bill  aside  for  the  present.  There  is  great  distrust,  jealousy, 
and  division  among  the  majority  ;  but  I  know  not  whether  any 
good  will  come  of  their  schisms. 

We  have  not  heard  any  thing  from  New  England,  though  we 
want  to  know  how  the  tone  of  public  feeling  among  you  is. 

The  taxes  will  be  upon  you  directly.  The  bank  is  uncertain. 
If  they  make  a  proper  bank,  some  Federalists  will  vote  for  it ;  it 
is  uncertain  whether  they  will  do  this  or  not. 

Give  my  love  to  mother  and  your  family.  I  am  in  very  good 
health.  Yours, 

D.  W. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  247 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  November  21,  [1814.] 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — At  present  we  are  engaged  about  a  bank. 
The  project  brought  in  by  the  new  secretary  of  the  treasury  was 
calculated  only  for  the  benefit  of  the  holders  of  the  stock,  created 
since  the  war.  The  assessments  on  the  shares  were  to  be  paid 
in,  in  such  stock,  principally  at  par ;  it  being  now  much  depre 
ciated,  this  was  giving  its  proprietors  a  great  boon.  After  some 
days'  discussion,  this  plan  was  abolished,  and  a  new  one  is  now 
before  us ;  this  is,  that  every  share  shall  be  paid  for  by  the  sub 
scribers,  as  follows,  namely,  one  tenth  in  gold  or  silver,  and  nine 
tenths  in  treasury  notes ;  whole  capital  to  be  fifty  millions.  If 
this  plan  succeeds,  the  capital  of  the  bank,  when  all  paid  in,  will 
consist  of  forty-five  millions  treasury  notes,  and  five  millions 
specie ;  these  treasury  notes  the  government  is  to  issue  in  pay 
ment  of  its  debts,  and  it  is  expected  that  they  will  be  received, 
and  even  bought  up,  by  those  who  wish  to  become  stockholders 
in  the  bank.  After  getting  into  the  bank  in  this  way,  they  are 
to  be  turned  into  government  stock,  bearing  an  interest  of  six 
per  cent,  and  payable  at  the  pleasure  of  government,  so  that  the 
capital  will  then  be  forty-five  millions  stock,  and  five  millions 
specie. 

In  the  present  plan,  all  Presidential  interference  in  choosing 
directors,  &c.,  and  all  obligation  to  lend  the  government  money 
is  struck  out.  Federalists  have  generally  voted  for  the  amend 
ment  in  preference  to  the  first  plan,  but  they  are  pretty  indifferent 
about  any  bank. 

Mr.  Mason's  speech  is  published ;  it  was  well  received,  and  is 
a  solid  argument. 

We  cannot  learn  whether  the  conscription  will  be  brought  up 
on  Monroe's  plan,  in  this  House.  Indeed,  the  party  are  all  in*a 
swamp,  and  I  should  not  be  surprised  at  any  thing's  taking 
place.  Yours, 

D.  W. 


248  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  December  22,  [1814.] 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — We  have  done  nothing  here  lately,  except 
with  reference  to  taxes.  They  have  all  passed  this  House,  ex 
cept  the  land  tax  of  six  millions,  last  year  three,  which  will  be 
read  the  third  time  to-day.  Giles's  militia  draft  bill,  which  was 
altered  in  this  House,  so  as  to  reduce  the  term  from  two  years 
to  one.  The  Senate  have  voted  to  disagree  to  the  amendment. 
A  conference  will  ensue,  and  the  Senate  will  in  the  end  probably 
recede  from  their  disagreeing  vote.  This  bill,  as  you  will  see, 
cannot  be  carried  into  effect  if  the  state  governments  do  not 
lend  their  aid  to  it.  On  a  motion  to  strike  out  the  first  section 
of  this  bill,  and  on  a  motion  to  postpone  indefinitely,  the  usual 
manner  of  moving  to  reject  a  measure,  we  made  speeches; 
Stockton,  Grosvenor,  Shepherd,  Ward,  Miller,  &c.  Miller's  and 
Stockton's  are  in  the  press ;  I  shall  send  you  sundry  copies  of 
each.  Mine  I  have  written  out,  but  upon  the  most  wise  reflec 
tion,  I  have  laid  it  up  in  the  drawer ;  it  will  not,  in  my  opinion, 
answer  the  expectation  of  those  who  heard  it,  and  therefore  I 
shall  not  publish  it  at  present.  Perhaps,  during  the  session,  we 
shall  have  conscription  up  in  a  worse  form,  though  I  believe  the 
party  are  a  good  deal  frighted  at  it. 

We  are  expecting  every  day  to  hear  from  New  Orleans.  It 
seems  certain  that  the  English  have  sent  an  expedition  thither ; 
on  its  result,  perhaps,  the  question  of  peace  may  depend. 

Give  my  love  and  duty  to  our  mother,  and  my  love  to  your 
family.  I  intend  coming  home  in  February. 

As  to  governor,  let  the  people  have  their  choice.  Strengthen 
the  state  governments  as  much  as  possible ;  especially  see  if 
something  cannot  be  done  for  the  council. 

Yours,  D.  W. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  349 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  January  9,  1815. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — As  conscription  has  gone  by  for  the  present, 
at  least,  I  thought  that  you  might  like  to  see  the  several  docu- 
icnts.  I  send  you  Monroe's  letter,  Giles's  bill,  and  the  bill  re- 
)orted  by  our  military  committee. 

The  bank  bill  has  passed  our  House  in  a  form  very  much 
amended ;  it  will  now  be  harmless,  as  we  think.  We  had  a 
hard  task  to  prevent  its  passing  in  its  worst  shape. 

We  hear  that  the  British  are  near  New  Orleans  ;  as  that  place 
is  likely  to  become  the  theatre  of  interesting  operations,  I  shall 
try  to  send  you  a  map,  &c. 

I  hear  you  talk  of  Mr.  West  for  governor.  If  he  will  accept, 
and  will  be  acceptable,  it  will  do  well ;  he  would  make  an  excel 
lent  governor.  I  think  Cheshire  would  give  him  a  great  vote. 

The  taxes  have  mostly  passed.  The  government  put  off  the 
necessary  work  so  long  that  they  have  been  obliged  to  lay  more 
than  I  think  the  people  can  pay ;  I  have  no  belief  they  can  be 
collected. 

Mr.  King  is  getting  a  good  deal  of  popularity  for  having 
moved  the  postponement  of  Giles's  bill ;  it  was  accidental  and 
unpremeditated,  and  there  was  no  debate.  After  we  passed 
the  bill  with  amendments,  it  was  bandied  about  several  days 
from  house  to  house,  on  account  of  the  disagreeing  votes  rela 
tive  to  the  amendments.  Being  one  day  before  the  Senate,  and 
it  being  known  that  public  sentiment  had  terrified  the  vehement 
senators,  Mr.  King  made  the  motion,  some  members  happened 
to  be  out,  it  was  immediately  put  and  carried. 

Mr.  Gore  has  recently  made  a  very  great  speech.  I  under 
stand  it  is  to  be  published,  and  shall  send  it  to  you.  I  know 
not  whether  occasion  will  offer  for  general  discussion  in  our 
House  soon,  but  expect  it  before  we  go.  We  shall  take  up  the 
investigating  report  one  of  these  days,  and  talk  over  the  Bladens- 
burg  business. 

Give  my  love  to  mother,  and  your  family. 

Yours,  D.  W. 


250  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  January  22,  1815. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — 

******* 

"We  have  nothing  from  New  Orleans  later  than  the  evening 
of  23d,  the  night  after  the  first  battle. 

We  had  yesterday  a  letter  from  Secretary  Dallas,  giving  a 
bad  account  of  the  treasury ;  five  millions  more  of  new  taxes 
must  be  collected  within  this  year,  in  order  to  get  money  enough 
out  of  all  our  ways  and  means  to  pay  the  interest  of  the  debt, 
still  leaving  the  whole  expense  of  the  year,  forty  millions  at  least, 
to  be  provided  for  by  loans  ! 

The  administration  is  completely  foiled  in  it's  bank  scheme. 
It  has  been  a  hard  battle,  and  the  defeat  is  complete.  We  were 
obliged  to  make  a  bank  or  let  Dallas' s  plan  go.  A  hundred  of 
the  narrowest  chances  alone  saved  us  from  a  complete  papei 
money  system,  in  such  a  form  as  was  calculated  and  intended 
to  transfer  the  odium  of  depreciation  from  the  government  to 
the  bank.  It  will  be  the  subject  of  a  week's  talk  when  I  see 
you.  The  present  bank  can  probably  do  nothing ;  certainly 
very  little  during  the  war.  When  peace  comes,  it  will  be  likely 
to  do  good. 

There  is  no  great  business  at  present  before  us ;  what  new 
projects  will  be  got  up  I  cannot  say.  I  expect  some  great 
explosion  yet  before  the  session  closes,  on  account  of  the  state 
of  the  treasury. 

I  have  sent  you  Stockton's  and  Ward's  speeches ;  also  my 
little  talk  about  the  bank.1  My  conscription  speech  must  rest 
till  another  day.  If  a  good  occasion  presents,  I  will  shoot  one 
little  gun  more,  as  Nat.  says,  this  session.  But  I  intend  to  go 
home,  so  as  to  be  at  February  court 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 

1  Speech  on  the  incorporation  of  a  Bank  of  the  United  States,  January  2, 
1815.  See  Everett's  edition  of  the  Works  of  Daniel  Webster,  page  35. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER,  251 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  January  30,  1815. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  send  you  the  Intelligencer  containing  our 
latest  advices  from  New  Orleans. 

The  President  has  negatived  the  bank  bill.  So  all  our  labor 
is  lost.  I  hope  this  will  satisfy  our  friends,  that  it  was  not  a 
bank  likely  to  favor  the  administration.  What  is  to  be  done 
next  nobody  can  tell. 

One  or  two  more  taxes  are  expected  to  be  passed,  one  on 
income  ;  I  think  the  others  recommended  by  the  secretary  will 
not  go. 

My  intention  is  to  depart  hence  in  about  eight  or  ten  days, 
so  as  to  be  home  at  court,  at  which  time  and  place  you  must 
come  and  see  me. 

I  shall  not  probably  find  an  occasion  to  say  something  which 
I  should  like  to  say ;  but  I  hope  and  think  that  Mr.  Mason  will 
discuss  some  subjects  of  interest,  in  a  manner  to  awaken  the 
attention  of  the  people  a  little. 

We  are  getting  printed  a  little  abstract  of  reports,  bills,  &c. 
tending  to  show  the  design  of  government  on  conscription,  &c. 
I  shall  send  a  number  of  them  to  you  for  circulation.  Give  my 
love  to  our  mother,  your  wife  and  children. 

Yours,  D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    D- 


Portsmouth,  August  25,  1815. 

DEAR  SIR, — On  my  return  from  Exeter  to-day,  I  found  your 
letter  from  Hanover.  On  the  subject  of  the  dispute  between 
the  President  and  the  trustees,  I  am  as  little  informed  as  any 
reading  individual  in  society ;  and  I  have  not  the  least  inclina 
tion  to  espouse  either  side,  except  in  proceedings  in  which  my 
services  may  be  professional.  It  was  intimated  to  me  last 
spring,  that  the  President  might  possibly  institute  process 
against  the  trustees  for  the  recovery  of  money  due  him  from 
them ;  that  proceedings  might  also  be  commenced  in  the  courts 


252  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

of  law,  to  determine  whether  there  had  been  a  perversion  of  the 
Phillips  fund ;  and  that  in  case  these  events  should  happen,  the 
President  would  be  glad  to  engage  my  assistance  as  counsel. 
At  Concord,  the  President  suggested,  in  general  terms,  that  he 
might  wish  to  obtain  my  professional  assistance  on  some  future 
occasion,  which  I  readily  promised  him.  After  Dr.  Haven  had 
left  this  place  for  Hanover,  I  received  the  President's  letter, 
desiring  me  to  be  at  Hanover  at  a  time  which  had  then  already 
elapsed.  I  answered  it  by  mail,  not  quite  so  soon  as  I  should 
have  done,  if  I  had  not  expected  some  private  conveyance  ;  and, 
if  I  had  not  known  that  an  answer  by  any  conveyance  would 
have  been  wholly  immaterial  at  that  time.  If  I  had  received  it 
earlier,  I  could  not  have  attended,  because  the  court  engaged 
me  at  home ;  and  I  ought  to  add  here,  that  if  I  had  had  no 
other  engagements  at  the  time,  and  had  also  been  seasonably 
notified,  I  should  have  exercised  my  own  discretion  about  un 
dertaking  to  act  a  part  before  the  committee  at  Hanover.  I 
regard  that  as  no  professional  call,  and  should  consider  myself 
as  in  some  degree  taking  side  personally  and  individually  for 
one  of  the  parties,  by  appearing  as  an  advocate  on  such  an 
occasion.  This  I  should  not  desire  to  do,  until  I  know  more  of 
the  merits  of  the  case.  As  to  the  letter  you  enclose,  and  the 
mention  made  in  it  of  myself,  I  can  only  say  that  I  have  no 
particular  recollection  of  any  conversation  in  which,  more  than 
on  any  other  occasion  when  I  talked  of  the  subject,  I  expressed 
what  is  ascribed  to  me.  Undoubtedly,  however,  the  substance 
of  what  I  should  say  on  that  subject,  at  any  time,  would  be,  that 
the  trustees  should  make  a  reply  ;  and  that  whatever  they  allege, 
they  should  fully  prove  by  affidavits  or  otherwise.  If,  by  "  put 
ting  down  a  certain  man,"  is  meant  a  refutation  of  the  charges 
contained  in  his  publications,  I  certainly  have  felt,  in  common 
with  every  body  else,  as  I  suppose,  a  very  strong  desire  that  the 
trustees,  for  many  of  whom  I  have  the  highest  respect,  should 
be  able  to  refute,  in  the  fullest  manner,  charges  which,  if  proved 
or  admitted,  would  be  so  disreputable  to  their  characters.  My 
"  desire  "  on  the  subject  is  just  what  I  had  imagined  every  one 
else  felt,  who  wished  to  see  a  controversy  cleared  up  and  to 
learn  the  truth. 

As  to  what  you  are  pleased  to  say  about  my  extricating  my 
self  from  this  affair,  or  of  its  being  otherwise  unpleasant  to  me ; 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  253 

as  also  what  you  observe  of  a  suspicion  entertained  by  some 
that  Mr.  Thompson  had  employed  me  to  feel  of  Mr.  Haven  on 
the  subject ;  give  me  leave  to  say  that  I  should  know  better 
how  to  answer  these  remarks,  if  I  were  not  writing  to  one  for 
whom  I  have  the  highest  and  warmest  esteem,  and  of  whose 
sense  of  delicacy  and  propriety  very  few,  certainly,  at  any  time, 
have  had  occasion  to  complain.  Towards  those  who  harbor 
such  a  suspicion,  I  entertain  no  sentiment  but  contempt.  On 
the  merits  of  this  dispute  I  perceive  you  are  decided  and  warm. 
This  is  natural  to  the  generosity  of  your  nature,  and  the  sincerity 
and  warmth  of  your  friendship.  You  speak  in  terms  of  pretty 
strong  decision  of  individuals  whom  I  regard  as  among  the  most 
valuable  and  honorable  men  in  the  community;  but  on  this 
account  I  neither  bring  accusation  nor  insinuation  against  you. 
No  suspicion  of  the  purity  of  your  motives,  or  the  uprightness 
of  your  conduct,  has  come  near  my  mind.  I  am  not  quite  so 
fully  convinced  as  you  are,  that  the  President  is  altogether  right 
and  the  trustees  altogether  wrong.  When  I  have  your  fulness 
of  conviction,  perhaps  I  may  have  some  portion  of  your  zeal. 
Whenever  I  have  said  any  thing  to  either  side,  it  has  been  to 
impress  the  necessity  of  moderation  and  candor,  as  they  will  do 
me  the  justice,  I  trust,  to  acknowledge. 

If  the  friends  of  the  President  have  any  thing  in  any  de 
gree  derogatory  to  the  character  of  Judge  Farrar,  it  will  certainly 
have  its  weight ;  but  it  is  not  likely  that  the  great  body  of  the 
Federalists  in  the  State  will  take  much  on  trust  from  Demo 
cratic  newspapers  ;  they  will  look  to  the  result  of  the  inquiry  by 
the  committee.  You  may  be  well  assured  that  in  our  nomina 
tion  of  governor,  we  have  regarded  nothing  but  the  political 
interests  of  the  State.  I  can  but  flatter  myself  that  if  you  were 
better  acquainted  with  circumstances,  you  would  think  less 
unfavorably  of  the  conduct  of  your  Federal  friends.  I  am  quite 
sure  your  patriotism  and  your  candor  will  lead  you  to  a  thorough 
inquiry  before  you  pronounce  your  disapprobation.  In  the  mean 
time,  give  me  leave  to  hope  that  Vermont,  in  which,  I  trust,  this 
controversy  has  not  been  much  felt,  will  set  us  so  good  an 
example  next  month,  as  will  make  us  quite  ashamed  of  apathy 
or  disunion. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  with  sincere  and  great  regard, 

Yours,  &c.  DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

VOL.  i.  22 


254  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    W.    SULLIVAN. 

Washington,  January  2,  1816. 
Do  not  read  this  while  you  have  any  thing  else  to  do. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  am  glad  to  find  you  so  well  employed  as  in 
chasing  whales,  though  they  be  dead  whales.  Having  seen  you 
last  in  your  own  chamber,  I  was  glad  to  learn  that  you  have  got 
into  court,  and  are  fit  to  engage  in  such  arduous  enterprises  as 
whaling. 

Your  account  reminded  me  of  some  very  ingenious  and 
laughable  remarks  of  Lord  Erskine,  in  a  crim.  con.  case,  some 
twenty  years  ago.  They  are  in  one  of  the  volumes  of  the 
Annual  Register.  Mr.  Erskine  was  for  the  defendant ;  his 
defence  was  that  the  plaintiff  had  abandoned  his  wife,  and  put 
her  to  separate  maintenance,  and  having  thus  voluntarily  relin 
quished  the  comfort  and  society  of  his  wife,  he  could  not  pretend 
that  the  defendant,  by  his  interposition,  had  deprived  him  of 
these  enjoyments.  He  then  went  on  to  say  that  the  law  of 
England  in  respect  to  wives,  was  just  like  the  law  of  the  Green 
land  fishery  in  respect  to  whales;  whoever  struck  the  whale, 
had  a  right  to  him,  so  long  as  he  held  on  by  the  line.  However 
the  fish  might  plunge,  or  flounce,  or  curvet,  though  he  should 
go  to  the  bottom,  or  run  away  to  the  temperate  or  the  torrid 
zone,  while  the  striker  held  on  by  his  line,  the  animal,  how 
ever  untamed  or  untamable,  remained  his  property,  and  woe 
betide  the  wrongdoer  that  should  interfere ;  but  the  moment 
he  lets  go  his  line,  the  animal,  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  was  ferce 
nature?,  and  became  the  rightful  property  of  the  first  taker.  So, 
in  the  case  of  wives ;  while  the  husband  holds  on  by  his  matri 
monial  string,  however  far  the  wife  strays,  to  whatever  great 
distances  she  may  run  out  from  the  path  of  duty,  or  however 
crooked  and  eccentric  her  course,  the  law  still  regards  her  in 
custodla  viri,  and  will  allow  no  interference  of  third  persons ; 
but  if  the  husband  will  choose  to  let  this  little  cord  drop  out  of 
his  hand,  in  an  instant  all  is  over!  The  wife  then  runs  "un 
claimed  of  any  man,"  and  like  the  wounded  whale,  becomes  the 
property  of  the  next  striker. 

We  are  doing  nothing  now  but  to  quarrel  with  one  of  our 
laws  of  the  last  session,  called  the  horse  law,  its  object  being  to 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  255 

pay  the  Kentucky  men  for  all  the  horses  which  died  in  that 
country  during  the  war.  So  far  very  well;  but  there  was  a 
section  put  in  to  pay  for  all  houses  and  buildings  burned  by 
the  enemy,  on  account  of  having  been  a  military  depot.  This 

played  the  very  d .  All  the  Niagara  frontier,  the  city  of 

Washington,  &c.,  wherever  the  enemy  destroyed  any  thing,  was 
proved  to  have  been  a  military  depot ;  one  tavern,  twenty-seven 
thousand  dollars,  because  some  officers  or  soldiers  lodged  in 
the  house  a  day  or  two  before  the  burning ;  one  great  rope-walk, 
because  a  rope  had  been  sent  there  to  mend  from  the  navy  yard, 
&c.  &c.  Some  say  the  fault  is  in  the  law,  some  say  it  is  in 
the  commissioner  who  executed  the  law,  others  say  there  is  no 
error  in  either,  and  others  insist  that  there  are  errors  in  both.  I 
agree  with  the  last,  as  the  most  probable  proposition. 

The  bankrupt  bill  will  be  tried  next  week.  It  will  be  hard 
pressed  by  Hopkinson,  but  I  cannot  foresee  its  fate. 

We  then  have  the  compensation  to  repeal,  which  I  trust  will 
not  take  us  long.  I  fear  a  bare  repeal  of  the  law  of  last  session 
will  take  place ;  then  the  judiciary  projects  must  be  disposed  of. 
Then  comes  from  the  Senate  the  conscription  law,  as  you  justly 
call  it.  What  inducement  has  one  to  resist  this  or  any  thing 
else  ?  Two  years  ago,  with  infinite  pains  and  labor,  we  defeated 
Mr.  Monroe's  conscription ;  nobody  thanked  us  for  it.  Last 
winter  our  friends  in  the  Senate  got  this  militia  bill  thrown  out; 
nobody  knew  or  cared  any  thing  about  it.  For  two  or  three 
years  Massachusetts  has  been  paying  from  ten  to  twenty-five 
per  cent,  more  duties  on  importations  than  Pennsylvania  or 
Maryland.  At  the  close  of  the  last  session,  we  tried  to  do  some 
thing  for  her  relief ;  but  her  Federal  legislature  takes  no  notice  of 
the  abominable  injustice  done  her,  or  the  plain  violation  of  the 
constitution  and  laws,  which  has  taken  place  to  her  great  injury. 
All  are  silent  and  quiet.  But  when  her  Federal  members  who 
come  here  to  be  kicked,  and  stoned,  and  abused  in  her  behalf, 
think  proper  to  raise  their  compensation,  so  that  it  will  defray 
their  expenses,  she  denounces  them,  man  by  man,  without  an 
exception.  No  respect  for  talents,  services,  character,  or  feelings, 
restrains  her  from  joining  with  the  lowest  democracy  in  its 
loudest  cry. 

Having  thus  written  you  a  very  long  and  dull  letter,  and  come 
near  to  finishing  with  a  fit  of  the  spleen,  I  will  conclude  by 


256  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

sending  to  your  household  our  sincerest  gratulations,  at  the 
opening  of  the  new  year,  and  our  wishes  that  all  its  days  may 
be  pleasant  to  you.  I  must  add  also,  which  you  will  be  very 
sorry  to  hear,  that  the  illness  of  our  little  daughter  at  Cambridge, 
has  very  much  alarmed  us,  and  we  are  in  expectation  that 
Mrs.  Webster  will  be  compelled  to  return.  If  so,  she  will  be 
accompanied  by  her  brother,  to  whom  I  have  written  to  come 
here  for  that  purpose,  unless  I  should  make  such  disposition  of 
my  business  at  the  court  as  to  permit  me  to  return  with  her, 
which  I  do  not  expect.  Yours  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  March  26,  1816. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  have  settled  my  purpose  to  remove  from 
New  Hampshire  in  the  course  of  the  summer.  I  have  thought 
of  Boston,  New  York,  and  Albany.  On  the  whole  I  shall, 
probably,  go  to  Boston;  although  I  am  not  without  some 
inducements  to  go  into  the  State  of  New  York.  Our  New 
England  prosperity  and  importance  are  passing  away.  This 
is  fact.  The  events  of  the  times,  the  policy  of  England,  the 
consequences  of  our  war,  and  the  Ghent  Treaty,  have  bereft  us 
of  our  commerce,  the  great  source  of  our  wealth.  If  any  great 
scenes  are  to  be  acted  in  this  country  within  the  next  twenty 
years,  New  York  is  the  place  in  which  those  scenes  are  to  be 
viewed.  More  of  this  hereafter. 

We  are  now  coming  to  the  end  of  the  session.  The  bank  is 
before  the  Senate,  and  in  my  opinion,  will  be  a  law  in  a  week. 
Dallas  is  to  quit  the  treasury,  to  be  president  of  it. 

The  tariff  is  the  only  "other  important  article  before  us.  In 
three  weeks  I  intend  to  be  off.  As  to  circuit,  I  decline  Hills- 
borough  and  Cheshire,  but  perhaps  shall  be  obliged  to  go  to 
Grafton. 

I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  of  mother's  .continued  ill  health.  The 
weather  has  now  turned  warm,  and  I  hope  she  will  experience 
the  benefit  of  it.  Here  it  has  been  very  cold  for  three  or  four 
weeks ;  but  spring  seems  now  coming  in  earnest. 

Give  my  love  to  mother  and  your  family. 

Ever  yours,  D.  W. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  257 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  April  11,  1816. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  received  yours  yesterday,  and  I  learned 
with  great  sorrow  the  illness  of  our  mother  and  Mary.  I  have 
hardly  a  hope  that  the  former  can  now  be  living.  If  she  should 
be,  on  the  receipt  of  this,  tell  her  I  pray  for  her  everlasting  peace 
and  happiness,  and  would  give  her  a  son's  blessing  for  all  her 
parental  goodness.  May  God  bless  her,  living  or  dying ! 

If  she  does  not  survive,  let  her  rest  beside  her  husband  and 
our  father. 

I  hope  Mary  is  not  dangerously  ill.  You  must  write  to  me, 
addressed  to  New  York,  where  I  expect  to  be  on  my  way  home 
about  the  28th  or  30th  instant.  Congress  will  probably  rise 
about  the  22d  or  a  few  days  later. 

We  have  got  through  most  of  the  important  public  business 
of  the  session. 

Give  my  love  to  your  wife  and  children,  and  may  Heaven 
preserve  you  all. 

Most  affectionately  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    E.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    HADDOCK. 

April  29,  1816. 

DEAR  CHARLES, — Your  grandmother  continued  to  decline 
from  the  time  you  saw  her,  till  one  o'clock  on  Friday  last.  She 
was  very  sensible  of  the  event  of  her  sickness ;  and  to  that  event 
she  looked  forward  with  perfect  composure  and  resignation. 
She  was  buried  yesterday  at  Salisbury,  by  the  side  of  her 
mother  and  her  husband.  She  spoke  of  you  with  great  affection, 
and  wished  you  all  happiness  in  this  world  and  the  world  to 
come.  May  God  have  us  all  in  his  holy  keeping. 

Yours  affectionately, 

E.  WEBSTER. 
22* 


258  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


[In  the  early  part  of  1816,  Mr.  Randolph  and  Mr.  Webster  had  some  mis 
understanding  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  which  led  to  a  challenge  on  the 
part  of  Mr.  Randolph.  The  matter  was,  however,  by  the  interposition  of  friends, 
amicably  adjusted,  and  the  following  correspondence  will  show  how  entirely  to 
the  satisfaction  of  both  parties. 

It  would  seem  that  Mr.  Webster  kept  no  copy  of  his  reply  to  Mr.  Randolph's 
message,  but  after  all  was  settled,  wrote  to  him  to  request  one,  which  Mr. 
Randolph  forwarded  to  him.] 

MR.    RANDOLPH    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Davis's,  nine  miles  from  Washington,  on  the  Baltimore  Road, 

April  30,  1816. 

SIR, — Your  polite  and  friendly  note  was  put  into  my  hands 
this  morning,  under  circumstances  that  did  not  permit  me  to 
write.  I  now  regret  very  much  that  I  did  not  leave  Georgetown 
with  you  this  morning.  I  have  just  dined  where  you  breakfasted 
this  morning  with  a  most  pleasant  party.  That  reflection  seeins 
to  add  to  the  uncomfortable  feel  of  solitariness  that  now  assails 
me.  Below  you  have  the  "  Copy "  of  the  paper,  which  you 
desired  me  to  forward  to  you.  Accept  my  acknowledgments 
for  the  terms  in  which  that  request  is  made,  and  believe  me 
with  very  high  respect  and  regard, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  RANDOLPH,  of  Roanoke. 


MR.   WEBSTER   TO    MR.    RANDOLPH. 

SIR, — For  having  declined  to  comply  with  your  demand 
yesterday  in  the  House,  for  an  explanation  of  words  of  a 
general  nature,  used  in  debate,  you  now  "  demand  of  me  that 
satisfaction  which  your  insulted  feelings  require,"  and  refer  me 

to  your  friend,  Mr. ,  I  presume,  as  he  is  the  bearer  of  your 

note,  for  such  arrangements  as  are  usual. 

This  demand  for  explanation,  you,  in  my  judgment,  as  a 
matter  of  right,  were  not  entitled  to  make  on  me  ;  nor  were  the 
temper  and  style  of  your  own  reply  to  my  objection  to  the 
sugar  tax  of  a  character  to  induce  me  to  accord  it  as  a  matter 
of  courtesy. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  259 

Neither  can  I,  under  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  recognize 
in  you  a  right  to  call  me  to  the  field  to  answer  what  you  may 
please  to  consider  an  insult  to  your  feelings. 

It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  state  other  and  obvious  considera 
tions  growing  out  of  this  case.  It  is  enough  that  I  do  not  feel 
myself  bound  at  all  times  and  under  any  circumstances,  to 
accept  from  any  man,  who  shall  choose  to  risk  his  own  life,  an 
invitation  of  this  sort ;  although  I  shall  be  always  prepared  to 
repel  in  a  suitable  manner  the  aggression  of  any  man  who  may 
presume  upon  such  a  refusal. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    REV.    F.    BROWN. 

Portsmouth,  June  4,  1816. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  received  yours  last  evening.  You  do  not 
feel  a  stronger  wish  than  I  do,  that  nothing  may  take  place  at 
this  session  detrimental  to  the  college,  and  I  am  willing  to  do 
any  thing  in  my  power  to  soften  the  irritated  feelings  of  democ 
racy  towards  it.  I  am  under  engagements  to  go  to  Boston 
to-morrow,  and  shall  be  in  that  town  four  or  five  days.  From 
Boston  I  can  go  direct  to  Concord,  if  it  should  be  thought  useful. 
Mr.  Mason  will  go  up,  I  believe,  the  first  of  next  week.  I  have 
some  hope  that  the  legislature  will  do  nothing ;  partly,  because 
I  hope  they  will  be  satisfied  in  some  measure  with  the  report, 
and  partly  from  the  hopeless  state  of  Dr.  W.'s  health.  It  is  a 
favorite  idea  with  some  to  create  a  new  college.  Would  it  not 
be  well  if  this  idea  could  be  encouraged,  and  to  let  the  ill 
humors  work  off  in  that  direction?  Suppose  a  proposition 
should  be  made  for  a  committee  to  report  at  next  session,  upon 
the  expediency  of  making  a  new  college  at  Concord,  and  what 
donations,  &c.,  could  be  obtained  for  such  an  object. 

"  Resolved,  that  a  joint  committee  of  both  Houses  be  appointed  to  take  into 
consideration  the  expediency  of  establishing  a  Seminary  of  Learning,  in  some 
part  of  this  State,  to  be  called  the  University  of  New  Hampshire,  and  to  ascer 
tain  what  endowment  for  such  institution  could  be  obtained  from  private 
donation,  and  also  what  grants  of  land  or  money  could  be  properly  and  con 
veniently  made  to  the  same  by  the  State ;  and  also  to  prepare  a  draft  of  a 
charter  for  such  seminary  ;  and  to  report  at  the  next  session  of  the  Legislature." 


260  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Perhaps  if  something  of  this  sort  should  be  brought  forward 
by  somebody  who  has  been  favorably  inclined  to  Dr.  W.,  but 
who  would  wish  to  prevent  violent  measures,  it  might  do  good. 

Mr.  Tilton  of  Exeter,  I  should  think,  might  do  it  to  advan 
tage.  Think  of  this;  Mr.  Cutts,  the  bearer  of  this,  is  an 
intelligent  friend  of  mine,  and  capable  of  being  useful  at  Con 
cord.  I  recommend  it  to  you  to  cultivate  his  acquaintance, 
while  there.  He  is  intimate  with  Mr.  Tilton,  and  indeed  with 
most  other  leading  men  in  the  legislature.  Any  thing  that  shall 
postpone  the  subject,  will  give  time  to  the  present  feelings  to 
cool  and  evaporate. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  yours  with  esteem, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

N.  B.  The  resolution  might  say  the  charter  should  be  drawn 
on  the  following  principles  : — 

1.  A  board  of  trustees,  to  be  inserted  in  the  bill  by  the  legis 
lature,  to  fill  up  their  own  vacancies. 

2.  A  board  of  overseers,  viz :  governor,  senators,  counsellors, 
and  speaker  of  House  of  Representatives  for  time  being. 

3.  An  unlimited  right  of  conscience,  in  officers,  and  students ; 
no  test,  creed,  or  confession  to  be  required  of  either,  nor  any 
preference,  direct  or  indirect,  of  one  religion  over  another.     If 
any  thing  of  this  sort  be  done,  it  ought  to  be  done  early. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    HADDOCK. 

Portsmouth,  June  26,  1816. 

MY  DEAR  NEPHEW, — Nothing  could  have  given  me  more 
pleasure  than  your  letter,  which  I  have  received  to-day.  I  was 
yesterday  in  conversation  about  you  with  Dr.  Mussey,  and 
begged  him  to  make  a  communication  to  you,  respecting  your 
future  course.  Your  letter  gives  me  an  occasion  to  write  to 
you  and  to  give  you  my  advice. 

I  entirely  agree  in  thinking  that  you  ought  to  look  around  a 
little  time,  after  leaving  college,  before  you  apply  yourself  to 
professional  studies.  A  little  leisure  time  and  a  little  travel, 
will  contribute  to  the  improvement  both  of  body  and  mind 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  261 

Although  I  have  no  reason  to  doubt  that  you  have  made  the 
most  of  your  advantages,  yet  the  manner  and  system  of  educa 
tion  in  this  State  are  necessarily  much  confined.  A  view  of  the 
world,  a  little  broader  and  more  extensive  than  you  have  yet  had 
opportunity  to  take,  is  much  to  be  desired.  As  to  the  project  of 
employment  in  the  line  of  instruction,  I  have  no  doubt  it  can 
be  accomplished,  if  it  should  be  finally  your  wish.  Situations 
of  that  sort  are  readily  enough  found,  I  believe,  by  worthy 
young  men,  in  the  southern  States  and  cities.  I  shall  probably 
go  to  the  South  in  the  fall,  and  if  you  should  incline  to  go  with 
me,  I  dare  say  you  would  light  on  a  situation  to  suit  you. 
After  your  examination,  I  wish  you  to  come  and  see  me.  You 
have  often  talked  of  this,  but  it  has  never  been  done.  This 
summer  will  give  you  leisure.  If  you  wish  to  prepare  your 
Commencement  exercises,  you  shall  have  a  room  for  'your 
studies.  Perhaps  I  may  go  to  Commencement.  However  that 
may  be,  I  hope  you  will  come  and  see  me.  Please  let  me  know 
whether  I  may  not  expect  you.  I  have  it  in  contemplation  to 
remove  to  Boston  this  summer  or  fall,  though  I  do  not,  as  yet, 
say  much  about  it.  If  your  inclination  should  lead  you  in  that 
case  to  spend  a  few  months  there,  in  the  fall  or  winter  in  pur 
suit  of  general  literature,  we  would  try  to  make  your  abode 
with  us  agreeable  to  you.  Let  me  expect  to  hear  from  you. 
I  am,  dear  Charles,  yours  affectionately, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Portsmouth,  July  30,  1816. 

DEAR  SIR, — In  the  change  which  has  taken  place  in  the 
judiciary  of  this  State,  I  feel  a  strong  desire  that  a  friend  of 
mine  should  have  a  proper  place  in  the  new  establishment.  In 
this  wish,  I  am  influenced,  I  trust,  not  more  by  sentiments  of 
personal  respect  than  by  a  regard  to  the  public  interest.  I  refer 
to  Mr.  Adams.  He  has  been  for  many  years  clerk  of  the 
Supreme  Court ;  and  during  the  period  in  which  you  honored 
us  with  an  occasional  attendance  at  our  bar,  you  were  suffi 
ciently  acquainted  with  the  manner  in  which  he  discharged  the 
duties  of  his  office.  I  think  him  the  best  clerk  I  ever  saw.  If 


262  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

others  do  not  agree  to  all  this,  they  will  hardly  be  able  to  men 
tion  many  whom  they  think  better.  By  the  new  law,  the 
Supreme  Court  is  to  have  a  clerk  in  each  county.  Probably 
some  gentlemen  intended,  by  this,  to  effect  a  junction  of  the 
officers  of  County  Common  Pleas  Clerk,  and  County  Supreme 
Court  Clerk.  But  this  can  only  be  done  by  consent  of  the  two 
courts,  for  each  has  by  the  Constitution  the  appointment  of  its 
clerk. 

What  would  be  agreeable  to  Mr.  Adams,  and  I  think  useful 
to  the  county,  is  that  he  should  be  clerk  of  both  courts  for  this 
county.  I  imagine  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  will  at 
once  appoint  him  their  clerk  for  this  county.  But  this  office 
would  be  very  small  of  itself.  It  seems  necessary  to  add  to  it 
the  clerkship  of  the  Common  Pleas.  I  have  no  doubt  Chief 
Justice  Richardson  will  use  his  influence  with  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  for  Mr.  Adams's  appointment.  That  court 
consists  of  Dan.  M.  Durell,  Esq.,  Chief  Justice,  and  Levi  Bart- 
lett,  Esq.,  Associate.  There  is  one  vacancy. 

I  have  thought,  Sir,  that  it  would  be  useful  on  this  occasion, 
for  these  judges  to  know,  that  gentlemen  of  other  States,  who 
have  been  in  our  courts,  have  a  favorable  opinion  of  the  official 
conduct  of  Mr.  Adams,  and  I  have  ventured  to  think,  that  with 
others  you  have  entertained  that  opinion,  and  that  the  expres 
sion  of  it  by  you  would  have  its  weight.  New  judges  perhaps 
are  not  likely  to  appreciate  the  force  of  Lord  Bacon's  remarks 
upon  the  usefulness  of  a  skilful  and  experienced  clerk  :  and  not 
having  seen,  some  of  them,  many  courts,  they  may  not  at  once 
know  the  difference  between  good  clerks  and  indifferent  ones. 

Your  professional  and  judicial  life  has  already  been  long 
enough  to  enable  you  to  estimate  these  things  justly. 

Having  said  so  much,  may  J  now  beg  of  you  to  write  on  this 
subject  to  your  friend  Chief  Justice  Richardson  ?  This  would 
give  weight  to  his  representation  to  the  justices  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas,  and  if  you  should  also  address  Chief  Justice 
Durell  on  the  subject,  if  you  know  him  sufficiently,  it  would 
probably  be  extremely  useful.  I  suppose  the  appointment  will 
be  made  soon. 

Pardon  me  for  giving  you  trouble,  and  accept  the  assurances 
of  my  respect. 

Your  humble  servant,  DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  263 

N.  B.  The  health  of  the  present  incumbent  renders  some 
change  necessary  soon  in  the  clerkship  of  the  Court  of  Com 
mon  Pleas. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  January  19,  1817. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — Grace's  illness  has  brought  me  home.  We 
arrived  four  days  ago.  She  has  been  declining  almost  ever 
since  we  left  her,  the  middle  of  November,  and  was  so  low  on 
our  arrival,  that  we  entertained  very  faint  hopes  of  her  recovery. 
Her  case  is  consumption,  and  seems  a  good  deal  like  dear  little 
Mary's.  Since  our  return,  her  symptoms  have  been  a  little  more 
favorable,  and  might  almost  encourage  a  slight  hope  of  ultimate 
recovery.  Dr.  "Warren  thinks,  at  least,  that  for  a  week  she  is  no 
worse.  She  seems  a  little  less  languid,  and  has  coughed  less 
to-day  than  any  day  for  a  fortnight.  My  engagements  in  the 
court  at  Washington  are  such  that,  if  possible,  I  must  return.  If 
Grace  should  grow  no  worse,  I  intend  going  about  Thursday  or 
Friday.  We  found  little  trouble  in  opening  our  house  and  col 
lecting  our  family.  Both  Hannah  and  Phila  are  here.  Eliza 
Buckminster  is  coming  to  stay  with  us  awhile.  We  came  home 
very  quickly  from  Philadelphia,  in  four  days.  Mrs.  W.  stood  the 
journey  wonderfully  well,  and  took  no  cold.  I  have  not  been 
out  so  much  as  to  my  office. 

If  your  courts  do  not  prevent,  I  wish  you  would  run  down 
and  see  the  family. 

We  desire  our  love  to  all  your  family  most  affectionately,  and 
to  Mr.  Kelly. 

Most  affectionately  yours, 

D.  W. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  Sunday,  1817. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — Our  dear  little  daughter  has  followed  yours. 
She  died  on  Thursday  evening  at  eleven  o'clock,  and  was  in 
terred  yesterday.  Her  death,  though  I  thought  it  inevitable,  was 


264  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

rather  sudden  when  it  happened.  Her  disease,  the  consumption, 
had  not  apparently  attained  its  last  stages.  She  had  suffered 
very  little.  The  day  of  her  death,  she  was  pretty  bright  in  the 
forenoon,  though  weak.  In  the  afternoon,  she  grew  languid 
and  drowsy.  She,  however,  desired  her  friends  to  read  and 
talk  with  her  until  a  few  minutes  before  eleven,  when  her  coun 
tenance  suddenly  altered,  and  in  five  or  six  minutes  she  expired. 

Mrs.  Webster,  though  in  great  affliction,  is  in  tolerable  health. 
Our  little  boy  is  very  well.  To-morrow  morning  I  set  out  on 
my  return  to  Washington. 

Eliza  Buckminster  is  with  us,  and  Anne  Paige  also  arrived 
last  evening.  We  desire  our  most  affectionate  regards  to  Alice 
and  the  children. 

Ever  yours,  D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    HADDOCK. 

Boston,  June  21,  1817. 

MY  DEAR  NEPHEW, — I  wish  I  was  competent  to  give  you 
useful  advice  on  the  subject  of  your  letter.  In  general,  it  is  a 
safe  rule  when  a  profession  is  chosen,  to  pursue  it  without  dis 
traction  by  other  objects  and  engagements ;  but  there  may  be 
cases  fit  to  be  exceptions.  I  have  not  much  belief  in  the  edify 
ing  nature  of  a  tutor's  employment.  Many  tutors  have  been 
good  scholars,  it  is  true ;  and  so  they  probably  would  have  been, 
had  they  not  been  tutors.  To  teach  others  the  Latin  classics, 
naturally  renders  one  critical  in  the  classics,  as  far  as  he  goes 
in  his  instructions,  but  would  not  after  all,  give  him  much  Latin. 
If  you  were  to  walk  every  day  from  Andover  to  Reading,  and 
from  Reading  back  to  Andover,  you  would  know  the  road  very 
well  from  Andover  to  Reading ;  but  this  daily  itineration  over 
the  same  ground,  would  never  bring  you  to  Boston.  The 
Latin  should  be  learned  for  the  sake  of  the  good  things  which 
are  in  Latin.  It  is  folly  to  learn  a  language  and  then  make  no 
use  of  it.  What  you  should  do,  is  not  to  go  back  again  to 
prosody  and  syntax,  but  to  read  the  whole  of  Cicero  and  Livy, 
and  Quintilian,  and  the  other  great  writers.  This,  I  imagine, 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  265 

would  be  better  done  at  Andover,  where  I  presume  are  scholars, 
"  ripe  and  good  ones,"  than  in  the  company  of  the  Freshman 
class  at  Hanover. 

There  is  also,  generally,  an  advantage  to  be  derived  from 
varying  a  little  the  place  and  means  of  instruction.  An  entire 
education  at  Hanover,  I  should  think,  would  be  too  confined. 
There  are,  however,  considerations  of  another  sort  which  we  are 
often  obliged  to  regard.  How  far  the  pay  of  a  tutor  may  be 
convenient  to  you,  I  cannot  say.  You  will  perceive,  on  the 
whole,  that  I  rather  agree  in  the  resolution  you  formed,  while  at 
Hanover.  I  dare  say  President  Brown  will  find  a  very  good 
tutor  in  your  place ;  and  as  you  are  designed  for  a  profession, 
I  think  he  should  leave  you  to  pursue  it.  But  I  would  not  have 
you  trust  much  to  my  opinion  ;  for,  after  all,  progress  in  knowl 
edge  depends  less  frequently  on  the  opportunities  enjoyed  than 
on  the  use  made  of  them. 

I  am,  my  dear  nephew,  your  affectionate 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.   WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  September  4,  1817. 

DEAR  SIR, — We  are  happy  to  hear  that  Mrs.  Mason  arrived 
safe,  and  hope  that  Jane's  illness  was  not  of  long  continuance. 
We  think  it  would  have  been  wise  in  you  to  have  been  here  at 
the  time  of  Commencement.  It  was,  I  thought,  a  pleasant  oc 
casion.  I  went  to  Waltham,  and  passed  a  few  hours  at  Mr. 
Gore's,  while  Mr.  King  was  there.  Mr.  King  expressed  great 
regret  at  your  leaving  him.  He  thinks  you  underrate  the  good 
which  might  have  been  done,  but  at  the  same  time  does  not 
doubt  that  you  will  find  it  more  agreeable  to  be  at  home. 

Mr.  Gore  was  pleased  to  have  given  you  a  mark  of  the 
esteem  in  which  the  learned  hold  you.  As  he  is  so  much  con 
fined,  it  would  be  a  very  good  thing  for  you  to  come  and  see 
him,  if  you  should  find  it  convenient,  in  the  course  of  the 
autumn. 

Judge  Smith  has  written  to  me,  that  I  must  take  some  part 
in  the  argument  of  this  college  question.  I  have  not  thought 
of  the  subjectr  nor  made  the  least  preparation  ;  I  am  sure  I  can 
VOL.  i.  23 


266  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

do  no  good,  and  must,  therefore,  beg  that  you  and  he  will  follow 
up  in  your  own  manner,  the  blows  which  have  already  been  so 
well  struck.  I  am  willing  to  be  considered  as  belonging  to  the 
cause  and  to  talk  about  it,  and  consult  about  it,  but  should  do 
no  good  by  undertaking  an  argument.  If  it  is  not  too  trouble 
some,  please  let  Mr.  Fales  give  me  a  naked  list  of  the  authorities 
cited  by  you,  and  I  will  look  at  them  before  court.  I  do  this 
that  I  may  be  able  to  understand  you  and  Judge  Smith. 

I  hope  you  will  do  the  needful  about  our  lodgings  at  Exeter. 
I  should  not  like  to  be  too  much  crowded  at  Mr.  Gardner's. 
Yours,  with  great  regard, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.   WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  November  27,  1817. 

DEAR  SIR, — President  Brown  has  written  to  me  respecting  the 
college  cause  in  its  further  progress.  I  have  engaged  to  keep 
hold  of  it  if  I  go  to  Washington  this  winter.  He  seems  desirous 
of  a  final  decision  this  winter.  To  this  end  it  is  necessary  that 
the  record  should  be  forwarded  as  soon  as  possible.  If  you  can 
have  it  sent  to  me,  I  will  send  it  along.  Mr.  Brown  does  not 
know  the  necessary  steps  in  order  to  the  getting  up  and  getting 
along  the  writ  of  error,  and  relies  on  you  and  Judge  Smith. 
Causes,  as  you  know,  are  entered  at  the  supreme  court,  upon 
the  arrival  of  the  record.  I  should  like  to  know  something  of  the 
court's  opinion  ;  I  wish  you  or  Mr.  Farrar  could  get  a  copy  for 
me.  If  I  go  to  Washington,  and  have  this  cause  on  my  shoul 
ders,  I  must  have  your  brief,  which  I  should  get  of  course  with 
out  difficulty,  and  Judge  Smith's. 

I  must  also  have  somebody  to  help  me  at  Washington.  I 
can  think  of  nobody  better  for  such  a  question  than  Hopkinson. 

We  have  no  news  here.  The  court  has  commenced  its 
session,  and  the  chief  justice  intends  to  get  through  next  month. 
Not  a  word  is  said  about  our  congress  election,  since  it  is  over. 

Mr.  Gore  seemed  to  be  very  well,  for  him,  a  fortnight  ago,  and 
I  believe  continues  so. 

Will  you  inform  me  whether  a  copy  of  Judge  Richardson's 
opinion  can  be  had,  and  whether  you  can  devise  a  mode  in 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  267 

which  I  can  get  Judge  Smith's  minutes  if  I  should  go  to  Wash 
ington  ? 

With  many  salutations  for   Mrs.   Mason   and  the   children, 
I  am  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    CHIEF    JUSTICE    SMITH. 

Boston,  December  8,  1817. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  received  yours  of  the  4th,  yesterday.  In  rela 
tion  to  the  special  verdict,  my  impression  has  been  that  we 
should  insert  every  thing  to  show,  as  far  as  we  can,  that  the 
State  did  not  found  and  endow  the  college.  I  should  wish  it 
rather  to  appear  what  they  had  not  done,  than  what  they  had  ; 
but  probably  the  one  can  only  be  shown,  by  showing  the  other. 
Therefore  I  think  the  jury  had  better  find  certain  acts,  grants,  &c. 
and  find  that  they  are  all  the  grants  and  acts  made  by  the  State. 
For  the  like  reason,  I  should  think  it  well  to  find  the  original 
grants,  gifts,  or  endowments  upon  which  the  college  set  out. 
Perhaps  these  are  well  enough  recited  in  the  charter. 

I  should  like  to  have  all  the  late  obnoxious  acts  found  by  the 
verdict.  As  to  the  assignment  of  errors,  you  will  see  the  provis 
ion  of  the  twenty-fifth  section  of  the  judiciary  act.  It  will  prob 
ably  be  better  to  assign  the  error  relied  on,  namely,  that  the  said 
statutes,  of  the  said  State  of  New  Hampshire,  are  repugnant  to 
the  constitution  of  the  United  States  and  void.  I  do  not  know 
whether  the  general  assignment  would  not  be  sufficient,  but 
should  prefer  a  special  assignment  also. 

It  is  our  misfortune  that  our  cause  goes  to  Washington  on  a 
single  point.  I  wish  we  had  it  in  such  shape  as  to  raise  all  the 
other  objections,  as  well  as  the  repugnancy  of  these  acts  to  the 
constitution  of  the  United  States.  I  have  been  thinking  whether 
it  would  not  be  advisable  to  bring  a  suit,  if  we  can  get  such 
parties  as  will  give  jurisdiction  in  the  circuit  court  of  New 
Hampshire.  I  have  thought  of  this  the  more,  from  hearing  of 
sundry  sayings  of  a  great  personage.  Suppose  the  corporation 
of  Dartmouth  College  should  lease  to  some  man  of  Vermont 
(e.  g.  C.  Marsh)  one  of  their  New  Hampshire  farms,  and  that 
the  lessee  should  bring  ejectment  for  it.  Or  suppose  the  trustees 


268  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

of  Dartmouth  College  should  bring  ejectment  in  Vermont  in 
the  circuit  court  for  some  of  the  Wheelock  lands.  In  either  of 
these  modes  the  whole  question  might  get  before  the  court  at 
Washington. 

I  suggest  this  only  for  consideration.  Perhaps  the  known 
pendency  of  such  a  suit  might  induce  Judge  Smith,  who  fully 
intends  to  make  the  court's  opinion  in  this  case,  to  consider  all 
the  questions  in  the  present  cause. 

If  I  argue  this  cause  at  Washington,  every  one  knows  I  can 
only  be  the  reciter  of  the  argument  made  by  you  at  Exeter.  You 
are,  therefore,  principally  interested,  as  to  the  matter  of  reputa 
tion,  in  the  figure  I  make  at  Washington.  Nothing  will  be 
expected  of  me  but  decent  delivery  of  your  matter.  This  seerns 
perfectly  well  understood  this  way,  and  I  have  been  often  com 
plimented  by  gentlemen  saying  that,  if  the  cause  goes  to  Wash 
ington,  they  shall  have  a  chance  of  hearing  something  of  Judge 
Smith's  argument. 

I  have  some  notion  of  coming  to  Exeter  for  a  day  or  two,  to 
practise  and  rehearse  before  I  go  to  Washington.  To  be 
serious,  however,  you  and  Mason  must  help  me  arrange  the 
argument.  The  best  mode  will  be,  to  have  it  written  out,  or  all 
collected  in  notes,  so  that  I  can  write  it  out. 

For  this  purpose,  I  will  see  you  or  him,  or  both,  before  I  go 
to  Washington.  As  we  know  pretty  well  what  will  be  the  ar 
gument  on  the  other  side,  at  least  you  do,  who  have  heard  Chief 
Justice  Richardson's  opinion,  we  ought,  in  the  opening  argu 
ment,  to  cover  the  whole  case. 

I  here  subjoin  a  printed  form  of  writ  of  error,  and  the  copy  of 
a  citation,  which  I  find  in  the  district  clerk's  office. 

Yours  always, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    CHIEF    JUSTICE    SMITH. 

Boston,  January  9,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  I  was  not  a  little  disappointed  at  your  sudden 
departure  from  this  town.  Being  under  an  obligation  to  go  to 
Cambridge  on  Thursday,  and  expecting  to  meet  you  at  Mr. 
Prescott's  on  Friday,  it  was  quite  unexpected  to  hear  that  you 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  269 

had  left  us.  I  wished  to  have  said  something  on  the  college 
case  confidentially.  I  shall  now  say  it  to  Mr.  Mason,  whom  I 
must  see  before  I  go,  and  he  will  communicate  with  you.  My 
hopes  of  ultimate  success  are  at  present  somewhat  stronger 
than  they  ever  have  been.  I  must  beg  the  favor  of  all  your 
notes.  I  have  not  assurance  enough,  although  not  entirely  des 
titute,  to  think  of  arguing  this  cause  on  my  own  strength.  To 
argue  it  as  you  did  would  be  more  than  I  shall  ever  be  able  to 
do.  I  wish  to  present  the  cause  fully  and  fairly  to  the  court, 
and  your  notes  will  enable  me  so  to  do.  If  anybody  is  coming 
over,  pray  let  me  have  them  soon,  and  all  of  them.  If  you  have 
no  opportunity  to  send  them  direct,  please  forward  them  en 
closed,  to  Mr.  Mason.  I  am  writing  to  him  to-day,  and  will 
ask  him  to  take  care  of  the  packet  and  to  send  it  to  me 
directly. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  with  unabated  regard,  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  January  9,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  Mrs.  Webster's  situation  will  compel  me  to  be 
at  home  some  days  to  come.  I  know  not  how  many.  I  must, 
at  all  events,  see  you  before  I  go  south,  and  if  I  cannot  go 
lown  you  must  come  up.  I  have  something  to  say  to  you  on 
the  college  cause,  as  well  as  many  things  to  talk  over  on  other 
topics.  I  must  leave  here  about  February  1.  If  by  the  20th 
instant  I  can  leave  home,  I  shall  go  down  and  stay  a  day  with 
you ;  if  not,  you  must  come  up. 

Judge  Smith  has  been  here.  I  heard  of  him  at  the  theatre, 
the  assembly  room,  &c.,  and  I  saw  him  a  little  at  my  own  house, 
but  had  not  half  the  necessary  conversation  with  him.  I  have 
written  to  him  to-day  for  his  notes,  and  desired  him  to  send 
them  to  me  or  to  you  to  be  sent  to  me.  Be  good  enough  to 
send  yours,  as  I  wish  to  be  preparing  a  little. 

I  have  seen  very  little  of  Judge  Otis.  If,  when  I  see  him,  he 
has  any  thing  to  say  of  Washington,  I  will  let  you  know 
what  it  is. 

23* 


270  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Mrs.  Webster  is  very  well,  and  desires  her  love  to  your 
family. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  as  ever  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  understand  President  Brown  will  be  here  next  week. 
I  shall  send  him  home  by  Portsmouth.  I  hear  nothing  bad 
about  the  college  case. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  January,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  I  must  either  accept  your  proposition  to  meet 
you  at  Newburyport,  or  persuade  you  to  come  here.  Our 
court  yet  holds  on;  and  since  I  last  wrote  you,  I  have  been 
requested  to  take  charge,  at  Washington,  of  a  cause  of  much 
earlier  standing  on  the  docket  than  any  in  which  I  had  pre 
viously  a  concern.  The  consequence  is,  that  I  must  depart 
somewhat  sooner  than  I  intended,  and  that  I  shall  be  pressed 
much  for  time  while  I  stay.  If  I  go  to  Portsmouth,  there  are 
persons  who  will  expect  to  see  me  there  ;  and  indeed  if  I  only 
allow  the  time  necessary  to  go  and  return,  staying  a  day  with 
you,  it  will  be  more  than  I  know  how  to  spare.  I  must  try  to 
get  off  for  Washington  this  day  week.  If  you  cannot  come 
here,  I  will  meet  you  at  Newburyport,  say  on  Sunday  morning, 
if  I  hear  from  you  to  that  effect.  I  hope,  however,  you  will  find 
it  convenient  to  come  here.  You  will  have  motive  enough,  in 
the  natural  desire  of  seeing  Mary.  If  you  will  come  up  on 
Saturday,  my  house  shall  be  closed  upon  us,  we  being  in  it, 
until  your  departure,  on  Monday  morning,  if  such  is  your  wish. 
On  any  other  occasion,  or  at  any  other  time,  I  would  go  a  hun 
dred  miles  to  see  you.  I  profess  to  be  a  sort  of  attendant  on 
your  course,  in  your  orbit.  But  at  present,  if  you  can  vary  a 
little  to  accommodate  the  secondary  planet,  it  would  be  a  great 
favor.  In  addition  to  events  in  the  house,  I  have  been  en 
gaged  for  a  fortnight,  forenoon  and  afternoon,  in  indispensable 
drudgery. 

Under  these  circumstances,  I  shall  wait  to  hear  from  you  by 


DANIEL   WEBSTER  271 

Saturday  morning's  mail.  I  shall  contrive  to  get  to  Newbury- 
port  by  Sunday  morning,  if  you  so  write.  But  I  should  esteem 
it  a  very  particular  obligation,  which  I  would  not  request  on 
slight  reasons,  if  you  could  any  way  make  it  convenient  to 
come  here. 

Mrs.  Webster  is  getting  along  very  well.  The  daughter  is 
in  good  health,  and  seems  to  take  the  world  easy. 

With  unabated  regard  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  saw  Judge  Story  as  he  went  on.  He  said  he  had 
had  a  correspondence  with  you  about  "  things ;  "  but  company 
being  present,  did  not  say  what  things.  As  usual,  he  told  our 
lawyers  here,  that  Mr.  Mason  was  decidedly  the  first  lawyer  in 
New  England. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Washington,  February  22,  1818. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, —  I  have  hardly  found  enough  to  write  about 
to  make  a  letter,  since  I  have  been  here.  I  wrote  Judge  Bell 
some  time  since,  and  nothing  new  has  occurred  in  his  case  since, 
which  you  will  please  to  inform  him.  I  have  hopes  it  will  go 
over,  but  it  is  yet  a  little  uncertain.  The  docket  is  not  quite  so 
formidable  as  was  expected.  The  college  case  is  not  yet 
argued ;  we  expect  it  on  this  week.  Wirt  and  Holmes  are  for 
defendant.  Wirt  is  a  man  of  a  good  deal  of  ability;  he  is 
rather  more  of  a  lawyer  than  I  expected. 

I  have  been  once  or  twice  in  the  house.  Those  New  Hamp 
shire  members  to  whom  I  had  ever  been  known  came  to  see  me, 
except  the  judge ;  I  have  seen  nothing  of  him. 

The  bankruptcy  bill,  I  fear,  will  hardly  pass,  though  it  will 
come  near  it.  The  western  gentlemen  say  the  circuit  courts 
must  be  established  this  session.  On  the  whole,  I  think  there 
is  a  fair  chance  for  the  adoption  of  the  measure. 

The  judge  volunteered  to  tell  me  what  correspondence  had 
taken  place,  and  he  seems  to  be  fixed  in  his  purpose  in  that  par 
ticular.  You  have  a  very  ardent  friend  in  Colonel  'Williams. 


272  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

I  dined  with  him  not  long  since.  He  took  occasion  to  speak  of 
you  in  such  a  manner  that  I  had  a  pretty  full  conversation  with 
him.  He  is  a  very  good  fellow.  I  only  wish  to  say  on  this 
subject  as  much  as  shall  let  you  know  that  at  present  all  things 
wear  a  very  favorable  appearance. 

Mrs.  Bagot  inquires  for  Mrs.  Mason,  and  Madame  De  Neu- 
ville  asks  for  my  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Mason ;  I  informed  her  that 
my  brother-in-law  was  very  well.  The  ministers  are  hospitable 
as  usual.  I  have  been  once  at  Mrs.  Monroe's ;  it  was  very  full. 
I  have  dined  with  the  President.  His  style  of  life  exceeds  that 
of  his  predecessors.  Washington  is  in  all  things  pretty  much 
what  it  was  last  year.  I  hope  to  get  away  from  here  early 
next  month  ;  but  I  shall  stay  a  week  or  two  if  necessary,  to  ob 
serve  the  course  of  things.  Give  my  love  to  Mrs.  Mason ;  ask 
her  to  write  often  to  Mrs.  Webster. 

Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    SULLIVAN. 

Washington,  February  27,  1818. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — The  Divina  Pastora  has  not  yet  come  on, 
but  I  have  no  doubt  it  will,  at  this  term.  I  have  attended  to 
the  case,  and  am  as  ready  for  it  as  I  shall  be.  The  prosecution 
against  Palmer  et  al.  adjourned  here  from  Boston,  presents 
many  questions  much  connected  with  The  Pastora.  I  expected 
that  would  be  argued  first,  but  it  seems  at  present  it  will  not. 
I  must,  therefore,  begin  on  the  affairs  of  The  Pastora. 

The  bankrupt  bill  is  lost ;  it  might  have  been  carried  if  all 
New  England  had  been  in  favor  of  it.  I  did  not  hear  the  de 
bates,  but  report  speaks  well  of  the  efforts  of  some  of  the  Massa 
chusetts  members, — particularly  Mills  and  Whitman.  I  have 
hardly  been  half  an  hour  in  either  House  of  Congress  since  I  came 
here,  a  proof,  I  hope  you  will  think,  that  I  have  no  wish  to  get 
back  there.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Otis  live  within  three  doors,  but  I  see 
little  of  them.  Mr.  Ashmun,  I  believe,  has  gone  home.  There 
are  in  the  city  a  great  number  of  Bostonians,  more  than  I  ever 
saw  before  at  once.  Brother  John  has  arrived,  and,  going  to 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  273 

work  on  Congress  pretty  much  as  he  does  on  the  New  Hamp 
shire  legislature,  has  got  a  bill  through  the  committee  of  the 
Senate  about  patents.  Col.  Perkins  is  expected  to-day,  I  believe. 
Brother  Amory  and  I  are  all  the  brethren  of  the  Boston  bar  here, 
— I  forgot  Mr.  Blake.  Ogden,  and  a  Mr.  Baldwin  from  New 
York ;  Hopkinson,  Sergeant,  and  C.  J.  Ingersoll,  Philadelphia ; 
Harper,  Winder,  Baltimore ;  Wickham,  Leigh,  and  Nicholas, 
from  Virginia;  Berrien,  from  Georgia,  and  the  gentlemen  of 
this  District.  Gaston  was  expected,  but  has  not  come.  Court 
meets  at  eleven,  hears  long  speeches  till  four,  and  adjourns.  I 
have  dined  abroad  every  day  since  I  came  but  one ;  and  the 
principal  reason  is,  that  the  only  boarding-house  where  I  could 
get  a  seat  at  table,  is  one  in  which  one  would  seldom  wish  to 
dine  at  home.  I  have  a  room  and  a  bed  at  a  friend's  house, 
Dr.  Hunter's,  and  get  my  coffee  in  the  morning  with  his  family. 
So,  on  the  whole,  I  am  better  off  than  most  of  my  neighbors.  I 
am  filling  up  this  sheet  without  saying  what  I  had  in  view, 
principally,  in  writing  to-day — here  it  is. 

There  is  a  prospect  that  the  bill  establishing  circuit  courts 

may  pass  at  this  term,  making  one  judge  on  each  circuit.  

and  ,  as  well  as  Mr. ,  will  probably  seek  to  be  made 

judges. 

There  is  some  chance,  I  think,  of  having  a  word  to  say  on 
that  subject  ourselves.  Therefore  I  am  very  desirous  that  Gov 
ernor  Brooks,  Chief  Justice  Parker,  General  Sullivan,  Mr.  Pres- 
cott,  and  other  such  men,  should  not  commit  themselves  to  any 
candidate  hastily,  on  the  supposition  that  there  is  nothing  but 
a  choice  of  evils.  You  know  Governor  Brooks  better  than  I  do. 
Is  there  not  danger  of  his  lending  his  influence  to  some  person, 
out  of  his  disposition  to  oblige,  before  he  knows  the  whole 
ground  ? 

What  induces  me  to  write  this,  is  that  if  such  an  office  should 
be  created,  certain  republican  gentlemen  here,  would  make  an 
effort  to  get  the  appointment  for  Mr.  Mason  of  New  Hampshire. 
Judge  Story,  I  believe,  would  exert  himself  to  that  end.  Mr. 
Mason  has  left  a  high  law  character  here,  and  several  of  the 
Democratic  Senators,  from  the  East  and  the  West,  would  like 
to  show  him  their  respect,  by  recommending  his  appointment  to 
such  a  place.  Some  of  the  Democratic  gentlemen  from  New 
Hampshire  would  also  urge  his  appointment.  Now,  if  Gover- 


274  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

nor  Brooks  and  the  Suffolk  bar  think  they  can  do  no  better, 
would  it  not  be  well  for  them  to  hold  themselves  free  to  support 
Mr.  Mason  in  case,  &c.  ?  This,  of  course,  is  pretty  confidential. 
You  may  mention  it,  if  you  see  fit,  to  Mr.  Prescott,  or  a  few 
other  friends,  but  I  would  not  have  it  spoken  of  aloud.  As  soon 
as  the  least  chance  of  passing  the  bill  appears,  the  candidates 
will  spring  up.  No  time  should  be  lost  to  put  Governor  Brooks 
on  his  guard,  if  done  at  all. 

I  do  not  write  to  my  wife  to-day ;  will  you  let  her  know  of 
my  welfare,  and  will  you  make  a  bow  to  Mrs.  Sullivan,  and 
shake  hands  with  her,  on  my  account  ? 
Yours,  dear  General, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    REV.    MR.    BROWN. 

Washington,  March  13,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — The  argument  in  the  cause  of  the  college  was 
finished  yesterday.  It  occupied  nearly  three  days.  Mr.  Holmes 
ventured  to  ask  the  court  whether  it  was  probable  a  decision 
would  be  made  at  this  term. 

The  chief  justice  in  answer,  said,  that  the  court  would  pay  to 
the  subject  the  consideration  due  to  an  act  of  the  legislature  of 
a  State,  and  a  decision  of  a  State  court,  and  that  it  was  hardly 
probable  a  judgment  would  be  pronounced  at  this  term.  You 
can  draw  any  inference  from  this  which  you  think  warranted. 
If  the  court  saw  no  difficulty  in  coming  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  decision  in  New  Hampshire  was  right,  it  is  not  probable 
that,  knowing  the  state  of  the  college,  they  would  put  off  the 
final  decision  for  a  twelve  months.  Mr.  Wirt  said  all  that  the 
case  admitted.  He  was  replied  to  in  a  manner  very  gratifying 
and  satisfactory  to  me  by  Mr.  Hopkinson. 

Mr.  Hopkinson  understood  every  part  of  the  cause,  and  in  his 
argument  did  it  great  justice.  No  new  view  was  suggested  on 
the  other  side.  I  am  informed  that  the  bar  here  are  decidedly 
with  us  in  opinion. 

On  the  whole  we  have  reason  to  keep  up  our  courage.  I  am 
particularly  glad  that  an  ejectment  is  brought.  It  is  just  what 
should  be  done.  You  will  see  the  necessity  of  not  giving  too 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  275 

much  publicity  to  any  thing  written  by  me  on  this  subject. 
You  may  say,  however,  to  your  friends,  and  give  the  students 
to  understand,  as  far  as  useful,  that  the  cause  looks  well  here. 
I  think  it  does  look  so  at  present,  although  I  am  not  perhaps 
the  best  judge.  The  inference,  too,  to  be  drawn  from  the  court's 
postponing  the  decision,  is  a  very  fair  one  to  be  used  in  the 
extent  stated  above,  by  you. 

As  to  the  opinions  of  the  bar,  you  would  do  well  not  to  state 
that  on  my  authority,  although  I  believe  what  I  have  said  to  be 
strictly  true.  If  any  thing  further  occurs  relative  to  the  case,  I 
shall  write  you  again. 

Yours  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.  WEBSTER   TO    MR.    MASON. 

Washington,  March  13,  1818. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — The  argument  in  the  college  case  terminated 
yesterday,  having  occupied  nearly  three  days.  On  being  in 
quired  of  by  defendant's  counsel  whether  the  court  would  prob 
ably  give  a  decision  at  this  term,  the  chief  justice  answered 
"  that  the  court  would  not  treat  lightly  an  act  of  the  legislature 
of  a  State  and  the  decision  of  a  State  court,  and  that  the  court 
would  not  probably  render  any  judgment  at  this  term."  The 
cause  was  opened  on  our  side  by  me.  Mr.  Holmes  followed. 
His  propositions,  as  near  as  I  recollect  were,  1.  No  jurisdiction, 
because  both  parties  in  same  State.  2.  Charter  of  1769  not  a 
contract ;  trustees,  public  officers,  like  judges,  and  sheriffs,  &c. ; 
college  a  part  of  government,  &c.  3i  All  corporations  abolished 
by  Revolution.  4.  If  charter  a  contract,  not  impaired,  a  great 
kindness  to  old  trustees  to  send  them  new  assistants,  &c.  Upon 
the  whole,  he  gave  us  three  hours  of  the  merest  stuff  that  was 
ever  uttered  in  a  county  court.  Judge  Bell  was  present,  and 
had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  him,  but  could  not  stay  out  his 
speech.  Wirt  followed.  He  is  a  good  deal  of  a  lawyer,  and 
has  very  quick  perceptions,  and  handsome  power  of  argument ; 
but  he  seemed  to  treat  this  case  as  if  his  side  could  furnish 
nothing  but  declamation.  He  undertook  to  make  out  one  legal 
point  on  which  he  rested  his  argument,  namely,  that  Dr.  Whee- 


276  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

lock  was  not  founder.  In  this  he  was,  I  thought,  completely 
unsuccessful.  He  abandoned  his  first  point,  recited  some  foolish 
opinions  of  Virginians  on  the  third,  but  made  his  great  effort  to 
support  the  second,  namely,  that  there  was  no  contract.  On 
this  he  had  nothing  new  to  say.  The  old  story  of  the  public 
nature  of  the  use — a  charter  for  the  ultimate  benefit  of  the  people 
— in  the  nature  of  a  public  institution — like  towns,  &c.  He 
made  an  apology  for  himself,  that  he  had  not  had  time  to  study 
the  case,  and  had  hardly  thought  of  it,  till  it  was  called  on. 

Upon  the  whole,  no  new  matter  or  reasoning  was  brought 
forward ;  and,  in  my  opinion,  the  argument  upon  the  law  of  the 
case  on  our  side  is  not  answered.  Mr.  Hopkinson  made  a  most 
satisfactory  reply,  keeping  to  the  law,  and  not  following  Holmes 
and  Wirt  into  the  fields  of  declamation  and  fine  speaking.  One 
pleasant  thing  occurred ;  Holmes  said,  that  "  really,  for  his  part, 
he  could  not  see  how  nine  could  be  a  majority  of  twenty-one." 
Hopkinson  looked  up  with  much  good-nature,  and  said  aloud, 
that  "  he  could  make  that  out  if  any  body  could." 

I  believe  I  may  say  that  nearly  or  quite  all  the  bar  are  with 
us.  How  the  court  will  be  I  have  no  means  of  knowing.  I 
shall  write  you  again  before  I  leave  the  place. 

Ever  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    CHIEF   JUSTICE    SMITH. 

Washington,  March  14,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — Our  college  cause  has  been  argued,  and  its  pres 
ent  posture  is  stated  in  the  Intelligencer.  I  have  no  accurate 
knowledge  of  the  manner  in  which  the  judges  are  divided.  The 
chief  and  Washington,  I  have  no  doubt  are  with  us.  Duval 
and  Todd  perhaps  against  us;  the  other  three  holding  up.  I 
cannot  much  doubt  but  that  Story  will  be  with  us  in  the  end, 
and  I  think  we  have  much  more  than  an  even  chance  for  one  of 
the  others.  I  think  we  shall  finally  succeed. 

I  opened  the  case  with  most  of  the  principles  and  authorities 
on  which  we  relied  at  Exeter.  Your  notes  I  found  to  contain 
the  whole  matter.  They  saved  me  great  labor;  but  that  was 
not  the  best  part  of  their  service ;  they  put  me  in  the  right  path, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  277 

and  conduct,  as  I  think,  to  an  irresistible  conclusion.  On  some 
parts  of  the  case,  I  have  varied  my  views  a  little.  The  rogues 
here  in  congress,  complain  that  the  cause  was  put  on  grounds 
not  stated  in  the  court  below.  There  is  little  or  nothing  in  this. 
I  labored  the  point  that  it  was  a  private  corporation,  a  charity. 
Eleazar  Wheelock,  its  founder,  as  such,  entitled  generally  by 
law  to  be  visitor ;  all  the  power  of  visitor  assigned,  in  law,  by 
him  to  the  trustees,  &c.  The  only  new  aspect  of  the  argument 
was  produced  by  going  into  cases  to  prove  these  ideas,  which 
indeed  lie  at  the  very  bottom  of  your  argument.  My  talk  occu 
pied  nearly  a  whole  sitting.  Holmes  followed.  He  spoke  three 
or  four  hours.  His  points  were :  1.  No  jurisdiction  because 
parties  live  in  same  State.  2.  All  corporations  abolished  by 
Revolution;  and  this  never  revived  by  constitution  of  New 
Hampshire.  3.  Charter,  not  a  contract,  a  mere  appointment  to 
office ;  trustees  agents  of  government ;  property  in  fact  given  to 
the  people.  4.  If  a  contract,  not  impaired ;  only  nine  more 
assistants  in  their  public  duties,  &c.  Holmes  did  not  make  a 
figure.  I  had  a  malicious  joy  in  seeing  Bell  sit  by  to  hear  him, 
while  every  body  was  grinning  at  the  folly  he  uttered.  Bell 
could  not  stand  it.  He  seized  his  hat  and  went  off.  Mr.  Wirt 
followed  Holmes.  He  denied  :  1.  That  Eleazar  Wheelock  was 
founder ;  said  he  never  gave  any  thing ;  read  Belknap,  &c.  not  in 
the  words  of  course.  2.  Not  a  contract  because  not  beneficial ; 
here  came  in  all  the  New  Hampshire  opinion.  3.  Not  impaired 
(as  Holmes)  being  only  officers,  the  acts  only  gave  them  assist 
ance,  &c.  &c.  Wirt  has  talents,  is  a  competent  lawyer,  and 
argues  a  good  cause  well.  In  this  case  he  said  more  nonsen 
sical  things  than  became  him.  Hopkinson,  in  concluding,  con 
fined  himself  strictly  to  replying,  and  acquitted  himself  with 
ability.  We  finished  with  the  third  day.  The  next  morning, 
yesterday,  the  chief  justice  told  us  the  court  had  conferred ;  that 
there  were  different  opinions,  and  that  some  judges  had  not 
formed  opinions ;  consequently,  the  cause  must  be  continued. 
When  I  began  this  letter,  I  supposed  some  little  account  of  what 
I  have  now  mentioned  was  in  the  Intelligencer  of  this  morning ; 
but  I  since  see  that  it  is  not.  Bullard  v.  Bell  has  not  come  on. 
The  court  will  rise  this  day.  I  depart  to-morrow. 

Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 
VOL.  i.  24 


278  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  March  22,  1818. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  arrived  last  evening  from  "Washington, 
having  left  the  great  city  this  day  week.  Of  course  I  have  little 
news  to  tell  you.  On  the  subject  of  the  college  cause,  you 
know  ah1  I  have  to  say.  I  send  you  your  brief,  and  Judge 
Smith's ;  you  may  both  probably  need  those  hereafter.  I  be 
lieve  it  is  fully  expected  that  a  case,  raising  the  question  in  the 
amplest  form,  will  be  presented  at  the  circuit  court.  I  have 
given  some  reason  to  expect  this,  and,  unless  for  good  causes, 
should  be  mortified  if  it  were  not  so. 

Nothing  seems  likely  to  be  done  at  Congress  this  session 
about  the  judiciary.  I  am  rather  glad  of  it ;  for,  upon  consider 
ation,  I  am  exceedingly  doubtful  on  the  constitutional  point. 
Others  are  the  same  way  of  thinking;  at  least  the  objection 
would  be  plausible. 

I  conferred  with  very  few  on  this  subject.  In  general,  I  found 
what  I  thought  to  be  a  sincere  desire  to  accomplish  an  object 
particularly  important  to  myself  and  others.  One  reason  why 
nothing  is  likely  to  be  done  this  session  is,  that  members  of 
congress,  at  least  some  of  them,  are  willing  enough  not  to  be 
excluded  from  the  list  of  candidates.  I  think  this  weighs  with 
certain  Senators  of  Rome. 

Mrs.  Webster  is  not  very  well.  She  has  had  a  fair  trial  of 
her  nursing  talent,  and  is  obliged  to  yield  the  point. 

We  are  procuring  a  wet-nurse  for  the  child.  When  she  is 
obtained,  I  have  little  doubt  Mrs.  Webster  will  enjoy  full  health. 

I  send  you  three  or  four  seed  potatoes.1  I  brought  them  in 
my  trunk  from  New  Jersey.  The  species  is  lately  imported 
from  England,  and  is  a  great  favorite  where  known. 

Be  good  enough  to  plant  them  in  your  garden,  and  raise 
enough  to  see  what  they  are. 

Mrs.  Webster  desires  her  love  to  Mrs.  Mason,  and  beg  to 
add  my  regards. 

Yours,  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

1 "  Lady  fingers,"  afterward  well  known  in  New  Hampshire. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  279 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  March  30,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  received  yours  of  the  14th  or  thereabouts,  which 
had  gone  to  Washington  for  me,  and  was  returned  hither  by 
Mr.  Hopkinson.  I  am  glad  an  action  is  brought,  and  hope  it 
will  come  on  regularly  at  the  May  term.  I  doubt  whether 
Judge  Story  will  incline  to  give  an  opinion,  and  rather  think  he 
will  prefer  that  the  case  should  go  directly  to  Washington.  In 
this  particular,  however,  he  must  take  his  own  course.  My 
reasons  for  thinking  he  would  prefer  deferring  an  opinion  till 
next  winter  in  the  Supreme  Court,  are  only  general.  I  do  not 
expect  to  be  at  Haverhill  in  May.  I  understand  that  Judge 
Story  and  Mr.  Mason  will  both  be  there.  It  would  be  advis 
able,  I  think,  that  you  should  be  personally  at  Portsmouth  at 
the  Circuit  Court.  In  relation  to  what  transpired  at  Washing 
ton,  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  any  thing  new  to  say.  I  believe 
I  gave  you  in  a  letter  from  that  place  a  general  account  of  the 
trial. 

I  have  seen  with  particular  regret  some  advertisement  about 
dividing  the  society  libraries ;  what  good  can  come  from  enter 
taining  or  talking  of  such  purposes  ?  The  course  for  yourself 
and  friends,  and  the  students  under  your  care,  seems  to  be,  to 
act  as  if  you  expected  a  favorable  result.  If  it  should  turn  out 
otherwise,  it  will  be  time  enough  then  for  adopting  such  meas 
ures  as  the  exigency  may  require. 

Do  you  expect  to  be  this  way  this  spring  ? 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  shall  have  any  occasion  to 
go  to  Portsmouth  at  the  Circuit  Court.  If  I  should  not,  I  will 
send  to  Mr.  Mason  my  minutes,  if  he  wishes  it,  that  he  may  get 
any  thing  out  of  them  if  he  can,  to  assist  him  in  the  argument 
of  the  cause.  He,  however,  as  well  as  Judge  Smith,  was,  as 
you  know,  well  prepared.  I  shall  write  Mr.  Mason. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OP 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  April  12,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — Yours  of  the  7th  came  this  morning,  and  as  the 
mail  returns,  I  believe  to-morrow,  I  answer  it  this  evening. 
Mr.  Marsh  miscalculates  the  probable  delay  of  the  actions. 

There  is  very  little  business  in  the  Circuit  Court  in  New 
Hampshire,  and  I  have  no  great  doubt  the  cause  will  be  dis 
posed  of  in  some  way  within  the  first  three  days  of  the  term. 
If  Mr.  Marsh  intends  seeing  his  counsel,  he  has  no  time  to  lose. 
He  would  do  well  to  be  at  the  court.  If  he  is  not,  you  must  be 
there  if  possible.  A  client's  presence  is  of  no  small  importance 
on  such  occasions. 

I  do  not  know  that  I  shah1  have  any  business  which  will  take 
me  to  Portsmouth,  at  the  Circuit  Court,  and  therefore  shall  not 
attend  on  account  of  these  causes,  unless  you  and  your  friends 
should  have  a  distinct  desire  that  I  should  so  do  ;  I  do  not  think 
it  of  the  least  importance. 

If  you  are  this  way  you  can  look  at  my  minutes,  and  such 
notes  as  I  took  at  Washington  of  the  arguments  of  others. 

You  must  not  be  too  sanguine  of  ultimate  success.  All  I 
would  say  is,  that  I  think  our  chance  now  quite  as  good,  if  not 
a  little  better,  than  it  ever  was  before. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  April  23,  1818. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — The  plaintiff  in  the  Edson  cause  requested 
my  attendance  at  Portsmouth  at  the  Circuit  Court.  I  have 
agreed  to  go  on  his  performance  of  certain  conditions  precedent ; 
and  probably  it  rests  on  this,  whether  I  shall  attend  the  court. 
As  to  the  college  cause,  I  cannot  argue  it  any  more,  I  believe. 
I  have  told  you  very  often  that  you  and  Judge  Smith  argued  it 
very  greatly.  If  it  was  well  argued  at  Washington,  it  is  a 
proof  that  I  was  right,  because  all  that  I  said  at  Washington 
was  but  those  two  arguments,  clumsily  put  together  by  me.  I 


DANIEL    WEBSTER.  281 

do  not  mean  to  hold  you  answerable  for  any  deficiencies ;  but 
in  truth  have  little  right  to  claim  the  merit,  if  there  be  any,  in 
the  opening  of  our  case.  Since  I  came  home,  a  young  man  in 
my  office  has  assisted  me  to  copy  my  minutes,  and  I  have  been 
foolish  enough  to  print  three  or  four  copies.  I  committed  this 
folly  principally  on  the  motion  of  some  friends  here,  who  were 
anxious  to  know  something  of  the  grounds  of  our  case,  of  which 
they  have  been  most  deplorably  uninformed.  These  copies  are 
and  will  remain,  except  when  loaned  for  a  single  day,  under  my 
own  lock  and  key.  They  are  hastily  written  off,  with  much 
abbreviation,  and  contain  little  else  than  quotation  from  the 
cases.  All  the  nonsense  is  left  out.  There  is  no  title  or  name 
to  it.  These  precautions  were  taken  to  avoid  the  indecorum  of 
publishing  the  creature.  If  I  have  a  safe  conveyance,  I  shall 
send  one  to  you.  You  must  not  let  Farrar  see  it,  because  he 
would  wish  to  show  it  to  President  Brown  and  all.  And  per 
haps  I  should  do  better  to  burn  it,  than  to  send  it  at  all.  Judge 
Story  has  been  recently  in  town.  I  have  no  doubt  he  will 
incline  to  send  up  the  new  cause  in  the  most  convenient  man 
ner,  without  giving  any  opinion,  and  probably  without  an 
argument.  If  the  district  judge  will  agree  to  divide  without 
argument,  pro  forma,  I  think  Judge  Story  will  incline  so  to  dis 
pose  of  the  cause.  A  special  verdict  is  the  most  convenient 
mode,  I  think.  The  verdict  in  the  other  cause  I  think  very 
right,  and  from  the  same  minutes  one  can  be  drawn  in  the 
present  case.  I  shall  be  at  Portsmouth  whether  I  hear  from 
Edson  or  not,  unless  I  should  be  engaged  at  Ipswich. 

Mr.  Prescott  is  judge,  a  very  good  thing  for  the  county  of 
Suffolk,  and  not  so  bad  a  thing  for  himself  as  it  might  at  first 
seem.  He  will  receive  about  three  thousand  dollars  per  annum. 
He  does  not  wish  and  has  repeatedly  declined  a  seat  on  the 
other  bench,  on  account  of  its  great  labor,  and  being  willing  to 
leave  the  bar  pretty  soon,  this  seems  to  be  an  eligible  retirement. 
We  shall  endeavor  to  get  along  without  him  at  the  bar,  and 
bear  our  loss  as  well  as  we  can. 

We  expect  Mrs.  Mason  to  see  us  next  month,  and  she  has 
partly  promised  to  bring  her  husband. 

Yours  truly,  D.  WEBSTER. 

24* 


282  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Boston,  May  14,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — Among  those  who  have  applied  for  the  appoint 
ment  of  an  appraiser  under  the  late  law,  is  Mr.  Isaac  P.  Davis. 
He  thinks  the  aid  of  your  neighbor,  Mr.  Silsbee,  to  whom  he  is 
well  known,  would  be  useful  to  him.  The  object  of  this  is,  if 
you  should  see  Mr.  Silsbee  to-day,  to  beg  of  you  the  favor  of 
suggesting  the  thing  to  hirn,  that  if  he  should  see  fit  he  may 
address  a  line  to  any  of  his  friends  at  Washington.  There 
have  been  many  previous  applications,  and  some  of  them,  and 
as  far  as  I  know  all,  by  very  fit  and  proper  men.  I  think  Mr. 
Davis's  chance  of  success  not  great;  but  it  would  be  gratifying 
to  himself  and  friends  that  he  should  be  well  recommended. 
You,  yourself,  can  best  judge  whether  it  would  be  worth  while 
for  you  to  give  him  a  letter.  I  say  this  confidentially ;  because 
as  there  is  no  great  prospect  of  success,  you  might  incline  to 
think  that  your  name  and  influence  should  be  reserved  for  a 
more  promising  occasion.  It  will  be  time  enough  to  think  of 
this  part  of  the  case  after  you  arrive  here.  In  the  mean  time, 
if  you  should  have  occasion  to  see  Mr.  Silsbee,  and  should 
suggest  to  him  Mr.  Davis's  wish,  it  would  oblige  him  and  his 
friends. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  as  always,  with  great  regard  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Ipswich,  April  28,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — Mr.  March's  account  of  the  probable  disposition 
of  the  college  actions,  seems  to  leave  no  occasion  at  all  for  my 
being  at  Portsmouth,  and  my  engagements  here  render  it  truly 
considerably  inconvenient.  I  could  not  leave  at  all  till  Friday 
evening ;  and  your  court  will  probably  rise  on  Saturday. 

I  saw  Judge  Story  as  I  came  along.  He  is  evidently  expect 
ing  a  case  which  shall  present  all  the  questions.  It  is  not  of 
great  consequence  whether  the  actions  or  action,  go  up  at 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  283 

this  term,  except  that  it  would  give  it  at  an  earlier  standing  on 
the  docket  next  winter. 

The  question  which  we  must  raise  in  one  of  these  actions,  is, 
"whether,  by  the  general  principles  of  our  governments,  the 
State  legislatures  be  not  restrained  from  divesting  vested 
rights  ?  "  This  of  course,  independent  of  the  constitutional 
provision  respecting  contracts.  On  this  question  I  have  great 
confidence  in  a  decision  on  the  right  side.  This  is  the  proposi 
tion  with  which  you  began  your  argument  at  Exeter,  and 
which  I  endeavored  to  state  from  your  minutes  at  Washington. 
The  particular  provisions  in  the  New  Hampshire  Constitution 
no  doubt  strengthen  this  general  proposition  in  our  case ;  but 
on  general  principles,  I  am  very  confident  the  court  at  Wash 
ington  would  be  with  us. 

If  so,  then  nothing  will  remain  but  this :  "  Are  the  powers, 
privileges,  or  authorities  of  the  trustees  under  this  charter  rights, 
within  the  meaning  of  the  proposition  ?  Are  they  franchises, 
liberties,  or  privileges,  such  as  the  law  protects,  or  are  they 
merely  disinterested  duties,  or  official  services."  I  cannot  state 
this  question  very  accurately,  but  this  is  the  general  idea.  If 
we  get  up  one  of  these  cases  in  due  form,  we  shall  defeat  our 
adversaries. 

I  shall  come  and  stay  a  week  with  you,  as  soon  as  our 
Circuit  Court  is  over.  One  reason  for  not  going  now,  is  that 
Mrs.  Webster  cannot  go,  and  I  could  not  stay.  I  want  to  make 
a  bargain  with  you  for  a  summer  trip  somewhere  this  year ;  say 
Albany,  &c.,  or  Montreal,  &c.  Think  of  these  things  a  little. 
The  robbery  trial  commences  to-morrow  morning. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  Judge  Story  goes  down  in  the  stage-coach  on  Friday 
morning. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    CHIEF    JUSTICE    SMITH. 

Boston,  July  2,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — President  Adams  has  expressed  a  wish  to  see 
Chalmers's  opinions  of  eminent  men,  and  I  have  promised  him 
a  sight  of  it.  If  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  send  the  volumes 


284  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

up,  they  will  be  much  at  your  service  another  time,  if  you 
should  need  them.  I  suppose  he  wishes  to  see  them  now,  as 
he  is  writing  on  colonial  affairs.  They  will  come  safely  by  the 
driver  of  the  stage-coach,  I  believe,  if  no  other  mode  offers.  If 
they  can  be  left  at  Langmaid's,  to  be  brought  by  the  driver  of 
the  mail  stage-coach,  I  shall  get  them  without  difficulty. 

Yours  as  ever, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

[NoxE.  On  the  next  page  of  the  sheet  on  which  the  above  letter  was  written, 
is  a  sketch  of  Judge  Smith's  answer,  in  the  last  part  of  which  there  is  something 
so  characteristic  of  him,  that  it  was  thought  best  not  to  resist  the  inclination  to 
transcribe  it.] 

Exeter,  July  7,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  did  not  receive  yours  of  the  2d  till  last  evening. 
I  shall  endeavor  to  send  the  books  this  evening  to  Langmaid's 
for  the  mail  stage-driver,  and  will  bribe  him  to  fidelity,  the  only 
way  to  make  a  stage-coach  man  honest.  On  the  subject  of 
colonial  ambiguities,  there  are  so  few  capable  of  illustrating 
them,  that  every  attempt  of  that  sort  deserves  encouragement. 
I  hope  the  old  gentleman  will  persevere  to  the  end  and  leave  the 
world  some  fruits  of  his  long  and  laborious  life.  It  is  a  pro 
voking  thing  to  have  knowledge,  which,  God  knows,  the  living 
need,  covered  up  in  the  grave  with  these  vile  bodies. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  July  16,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — You  are  not  much  accustomed,  I  believe,  to  for 
get  your  duties ;  and  some  apology  would  seem  necessary  for 
reminding  you  of  things,  which  in  all  probability  you  have  fully 
attended  to.  There  are  two  topics,  however,  upon  each  of 
which  I  will  repeat  the  expression  of  a  wish.  The  first  is  the 
letter  to  Mr.  Hopkinson ;  the  second,  care  to  prevent  any  public 
use  being  made  of  our  argument.  Mr.  Gilbert  informs  me  that 
a  copy  has  been  given  to  the  students,  and  I  am  fearful  their 
zeal  in  a  good  cause  may  lead  them  possibly  to  make  an  indis 
creet  use  of  it.  I  rely  on  you  for  safety  against  such  evils.  I 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  285 

am  quite  satisfied  our  course  is  right.  The  argument  will  cease 
to  do  good,  if  used  in  any  other  way  than  that  in  which  we 
have  used  it.  Pray  caution  the  students  against  publishing  it, 
or  any  part  of  it.  The  printer  also  should  be  admonished  not 
to  say  any  thing  about  it. 

We  have  nothing  new  about  the  final  result.  As  far  as  I 
learn,  those  who  have  paid  attention  to  the  question  are  more 
and  more  convinced  that  we  have  the  right  side. 

Very  truly  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    D.    PUTNAM    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Brooklyn,  Conn.,  July  17,  1818. 

SIR, — I  have  read  with  deep  interest  and  great  satisfaction 
an  article  in  the  North  American  Review,  vindicating  the  char 
acter  of  General  Putnam  and  his  conduct  on  the  17th  of  June, 
L775.  If  the  attack  was  violent  and  unexpected,  the  defence 
las  been  valiant  and  effectual  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  public 
lind.  For  the  distinguished  part  which  your  love  of  justice 
las  contributed  towards  it,  I  pray  you  to  accept  the  grateful 
thanks  of  the  family,  and  my  own  individual  acknowledgment 
of  obligation,  greater  than  it  will  ever  be  in  my  power  to  repay. 

It  is  due  however  to  the  relation  I  stand  in  to  General  Put- 
lam,  to  maintain  with  modesty  what  he  always  asserted  with 
confidence,  that  the  command  on  Bunker  Hill  was  his.  If  this 
sould  not  be  done  without  taking  from  the  gallant  and  deserv 
ing  Prescott,  any  part  of  the  glory  which  always  has  and  I 
lope  ever  will  be  awarded  by  his  grateful  country,  for  the  perse 
vering  valor  with  which  he  defended  the  principal  objects  of 
ssault,  I  should  be  among  the  last  to  make  the  claim,  in 
favor  even  of  a  father. 

But  this  business  has  been  candidly  and  I  hope  satisfactorily 
stated  in  the  last  of  a  series  of  numbers  in  the  Centinel,  which 
do  honor  to  the  head  and  heart  of  the  writer,  and  give  to  Put 
nam  and  Prescott  the  commendation  appropriately  due  to  each ; 
leaving  nothing  for  the  friends  of  either  to  wish  or  regret. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  most  respectfully,  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  and  much  obliged  servant, 

DAN'L  PUTNAM. 


286  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Boston,  August  16,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  have  been  looking  over  a  file  of  English 
newspapers,  in  order  to  learn  the  proceedings  of  Parliament,  at 
its  late  session,  on  the  subject  of  redressing  abuses  in  charities. 
The  measure  originated  with  Mr.  Brougham.  The  complaint 
was,  that  funds  given  to  charitable  purposes,  especially  such  as 
were  connected  with  education,  were  often  abused,  unproduc 
tive,  «fec.  &c.  The  remedy  proposed  was  a  commission  to  in 
quire  into  the  state  of  such  charities.  What  was  to  be  done 
in  the  end  was  not  provided  for  in  the  bill.  The  object  of  the 
bill  was  merely  to  obtain  information.  The  universities  and 
the  great  schools  were  cxcepted  out  of  the  provisions  of  the 
bill.  When  it  got  to  the  House  of  Lords,  it  met  with  opposi 
tion,  on  several  grounds.  In  its  progress,  Lord  Eldon  took 
occasion  to  say  something  on  the  right  of  legislative  inter 
ference.  I  send  you  herewith  the  paper  which  contains  his 
remarks.  In  the  further  progress  of  the  biU  in  the  House  of 
Lords,  it  was  amended  by  excepting  from  its  operation  "  all 
charitable  endowments  having  special  visitors ; "  thus  amended, 
it  passed  both  Houses  with  Lord  Eldon's  concurrence. 

As  nothing  but  inquiry  was  proposed,  I  do  not  see  any 
great  objection  to  the  bill,  as  it  was,  but  I  think  its  history 
shows,  1.  That  the  English  lawyers  recognize  a  difference 
between  charities  having  visitors,  and  such  as  have  none.  In 
deed,  I  did  not  observe,  till  lately,  that  the  commissions,  issued 
under  the  statute  of  Elizabeth,  do  not  extend  to  charities  with 
visitors.  2.  I  think  we  may  see  that  Parliament  is  not  sup 
posed  to  have  the  power  of  new-modelling,  and  directing  to 
new  uses,  at  its  own  pleasure,  charitable  funds,  arising  from 
donations  of  individuals,  and  by  them  subjected  to  the  forum 
domesticum.  I  do  not  find  the  debate  in  the  House  of  Lords, 
when  the  amendment  stated  above  was  introduced.  If  I 
should  light  upon  it,  I  will  preserve  it. 

According  to  your  wish,  I  send  you  a  copy  of  such  memo 
randa  of  cases,  &c.,  as  I  have  met  with,  relative  to  the  college 
question.  They  are  of  small  importance. 

Yours,  with  the  greatest  regard, 

D.  W. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  287 

MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

September  9,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  send  you  five  copies  of  our  argument.  If  you 
send  one  of  them  to  each  of  such  of  the  judges  as  you  think 
proper,  you  will  of  course  do  it  in  the  manner  least  likely  to 
lead  to  a  feeling  that  any  indecorum  has  been  committed  by 
the  plaintiffs.  The  truth  is,  the  New  Hampshire  opinion  is  able, 
ingenious,  and  plausible.  It  has  been  widely  circulated,  and 
something  was  necessary  to  exhibit  the  other  side  of  the  question. 

I  have  read  the  article  on  "  Maritime  Law  "  with  the  highest 
delight.  There  is  a  great  deal  that  is  new  to  me,  and  will  be 
most  useful  to  the  profession.  Your  compliment  to  Chancellor 
Kent  was  happily  turned,  and  well  deserved.  His  brother, 
Moss  Kent,  of  Albany,  is  a  personal  acquaintance  of  mine,  and 
not  knowing  how  many  copies  of  the  North  American  Review 
might  be  taken  in  Albany,  I  yesterday  sent  one  to  him.  I 
think  this  Number  a  very  good  one. 

To-day  I  have  been  at  work  for  Wheaton,  although  I  have 
lot  seen  the  book  yet.  Whatever  I  write  must  pass  your 
3vision.  Very  truly,  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  November  9,  1818. 

DEAR  SIR, —  I  received  yours  yesterday.  It  will  not  be 
iccessary  to  decide  on  the  subject  of  other  counsel  until  I  see 
You  do  not  appear  to  apprehend  my  reasons  exactly,  and 
can  explain  them  better  ore  tenus;  suffice  it  to  say,  at  present, 
that,  although  if  nothing-  should  be  necessary  in  the  way  of 
argument  but  a  reply,  Mr.  Hopkinson,  or  myself,  might  do 
that,  yet  if  it  should  be  necessary  to  go  over  the  whole  ground 
,  some  new  hand  must  come  into  the  cause.  My  own 
ipression  is  to  apply,  in  case  of  need,  to  some  gentleman 
there  on  the  spot.  Let  this  rest  till  January. 

As  to  money  and  compensation,  &c.,  I  hardly  know  what 
to  say  about  it.  As  to  myself,  considerations  of  that  sort  have 
not  added  greatly  to  my  interest  in  the  case.  I  am  aware  also, 
that  others,  whose  labors  are  more  useful  than  mine,  are  obliged 


288  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

to  confer  gratuitous  services.  The  going  to  Washington,  how 
ever,  is  no  small  affair,  and  is  attended  with  great  inconvenience 
to  my  practice  here.  My  other  inducements  to  attend  the  en 
suing  term  are  not  great,  not  so  much  so  as  last  year,  while  the 
sacrifice  here  will  be  greater. 

As  to  Mr.  Hopkinson,  he  has  put  the  case  on  such  ground, 
that  nothing  can  be  done  about  his  compensation  till  a  final 
decision.  If  that  should  be  as  we  hope,  something  honorable 
must  be  done  for  him ;  towards  which  I  expect  to  contribute  in 
proportion  to  my  means,  and  in  common  with  other  friends. 
I  hope  you  will  be  here  a  little  sooner  than  January  15,  as  I 
hope  to  be  able  to  set  off  by  that  time.  I  rely  on  you  for  all 
necessary  knowledge  of  Moore's  Charity  School ;  not  caring, 
however,  so  much  about  it  as  you  seem  to.  The  cause  has 
gone  too  far  to  be  influenced  by  small  circumstances  of  variance. 

I  hear  nothing  unfavorable.  Our  friends  say  sometimes  that 
the  university  people  abate  nothing  of  then:  confidence,  which,  I 
confess,  a  little  surprises  me,  as  I  think  they  cannot  but  observe 
the  general  tendency  of  professional  opinion.  Mr.  Hough  says, 
a  hundred  and  fifty  copies  of  our  argument  have  been  printed 
at  the  Patriot  office  and  distributed.  I  hope  they  will  do  no 
hurt.  Yours,  very  truly, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  wish  you  to  understand  that  if  I  go  to  Washington, 
and  am  paid  for  it,  anything  necessary  for  new  counsel  there,  I 
shall  pay.  It  is  not  my  intention  that  any  arrangement  of  this 
sort  shall  increase  expense.  I  am  not  certain  that  a  new  argu 
ment  will  be  ordered,  and  am  still  more  doubtful  whether  a 
new  opening  on  our  side  will  be  called  for.  But  this  is  pos 
sible,  and  if  so,  some  gentleman  must  repeat  our  view,  and  add 
what  he  or  we  may  have  obtained  new.  This  event  or  course 
of  things  is  not  probable,  but  possible. 


MR.    HOPKINSON    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  November  17,  1818. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — On  my  arrival  here  I  received  your  letter 
of  the  9th  instant,  just  as  I  was  about  to  write  to  you  on  the 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  289 

same  subject.  In  my  passage  through  Baltimore,  I  fell  in  with 
Pinkney,  who  told  me  he  was  engaged  in  the  cause  by  the  pres 
ent  University,  and  that  he  is  desirous  to  argue  it,  if  the  court 
will  let  him.  I  suppose  he  expects  to  do  something  very  extra 
ordinary  in  it,  as  he  says  Mr.  Wirt  "  was  not  strong  enough  for 
it,  has  not  back  enough."  There  is  a  wonderful  degree  of  har 
mony  and  mutual  respect  among  our  opponents  in  this  case. 
You  may  remember  how  Wirt  and  Holmes  thought  and  spoke 
of  each  other.  On  receiving  this  information  from  Mr.  Pinkney, 
I  seriously  reflected  upon  the  course  it  would  be  proper  for  us  to 
take ;  and  I  assure  you  most  truly,  I  decided  precisely  in  favor 
of  that  suggested  by  you.  It  cannot  be  expected  we  shall  repeat 
our  argument  merely  to  enable  Mr.  Pinkney  to  make  a  speech, 
or  that  a  cause  shall  be  re -argued,  because,  after  the  argument 
has  been  concluded,  and  the  court  has  the  case  under  advise 
ment,  either  party  may  choose  to  employ  new  counsel.  I  think 
if  the  court  consents  to  hear  Mr.  Pinkney,  it  will  be  a  great 
stretch  of  complaisance,  and  that  we  should  not  give  our  con 
sent  to  any  such  proceeding;  but  if  Mr.  Pinkney,  on  his  own 
application,  is  permitted  to  speak,  we  should  claim  our  right  of 
reply.  The  court  cannot  want  to  have  our  argument  repeated ; 
and  they  will  hardly  require  us  to  do  it  for  the  accommodation 
of  Mr.  Pinkney.  However,  we  shall  have  an  opportunity  to 
consult  more  fully  on  these  matters. 

We  shall  have  the  message,  I  presume,  to-day,  and  I  shall 
send  you  one.  Interesting  matter  is  looked  for;  but  this  is 
usual.  As  to  the  bankrupt  law,  I  shall  feel  about,  and  if  I  dis 
cover  any  chance  of  success,  I  shall  make  another  effort  for  it. 
Perhaps  it  will  be  advisable  to  get  another  vote  upon  it,  with 
out  again  discussing  the  whole  subject  at  large,  as  it  is  the 
same  congress. 

God  bless  you,  yours  truly, 

J.  HOPKINSON. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 


Boston,  December  6,  1818. 
DEAR  SIR, — I  was  very  glad  to  receive  yours,  as  I  wished  to 
know  something  of  your  health,  having  heard  of  your  indisposi- 
VOL.  i.  25 


290  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

tion.  I  trust  you  will  by  no  means  expose  yourself  until  your 
recovery  is  complete.  As  to  money  concerns,  I  am  of  opinion, 
which  I  speak  freely,  that  little  is  to  be  accomplished  here  with 
out  you.  If  the  professors,  &c.  can  employ  the  vacation  in 
recruiting  for  the  immediate  wants  of  the  college  government, 
each  in  that  region  of  the  country  where  he  may  have  most 
friends,  it  may  be  very  well.  This  quarter,  I  think,  had  better 
be  left  till  you  shall  be  able  to  visit  it.  As  far  as  relates  to  any 
provision  for  the  expenses  at  Washington,  &c.,  I  would  have 
every  thing  remain  as  it  is,  unless  you  should  be  able  to  come 
down,  and  would  by  no  means  have  you  come  .unless  your 
health  should  be  altogether  restored.  I  must  try  to  get  along 
with  things  as  well  as  I  can.  However,  if  you  should  think  fit 
to  try  what  can  be  done  here  without  yourself,  I  think  it  would 
be  useful,  if  practicable,  to  join  such  a  man  as  Mr.  Pay  son  or 
Mr.  Olcott  with  such  a  man  as  Dr.  Payson. 

I  am  as  yet  not  well  informed  on  the  topics  connected  with 
the  will,  and  with  the  school.  I  hope  your  health  will  enable 
you  to  give  me  some  view  of  this  subject.  It  will  save  me  both 
labor  and  time ;  the  latter  of  which  I  shall  have  little  to  spare 
between  this  and  the  15th  January.  I  have  read  the  will.  The 
general  impression  I  took  from  it  was  not  at  all  unfavorable  to 
our  general  doctrine.  Perhaps  a  second  reading  might  enable 
me  to  see  something  else.  As  to  the  school,  if  you  wish  the  act 
of  1807,  in  the  verdict,  which  is  perhaps  admissible,  I  think  you 
had  better  write  to  Judge  Smith  on  the  subject  soon.  I  think 
I  heard  that  all  papers  were  to  be  furnished,  so  as  to  make  up 
the  case  by  January  1.  I  do  not  think  it  will  be  easy,  perhaps  not 
possible,  to  get  the  court  to  say  any  thing  about  the  school. 
They  will  think  that  "sufficient,"  &c.  At  the  same  time  I 
should  not  expect  much  difficulty  about  the  school,  if  the  ques 
tion  should  be  decided  right  with  the  college. 

Let  me  hear  from  you  every  week,  respecting  your  health.  If 
any  thing  further  occurs  to  me  I  shall  write  again.  Writing 
lately  to  Dr.  P.  to  acknowledge  a  copy  of  his  "  Eulogy,"  I  took 
occasion  to  ask  whether  Mrs.  W.  intended  to  enter  her  appear 
ance  voluntarily  in  the  suit  now  at  Washington.  If  not,  I  am 
inclined  to  give  her  notice  so  to  do. 

Yours  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  291 


MEMORANDA 

OF   MR.  WEBSTER'S    PROFESSIONAL    FEES    FOR   TWO    YEARS, 

AND    1833. 


[Mr.  Webster,  until  the  latter  years  of  his  h'fe,  kept  a  regular  account  of  his 
professional  receipts  in  small  memorandum-books,  finishing  one  with  each  year. 
Some  members  of  the  Suffolk  bar,  who  had  seen  these  memoranda,  have  sug 
gested  that  their  publication  would  prove  interesting,  especially  to  gentlemen  of 
the  profession. 

Accordingly,  the  contents  of  two  of  these  books  are  given,  being  neither  the 
first  nor  the  last,  nor  showing  the  largest  or  the  smallest  amount  of  such  receipts.] 

Receipts  1818  to  1819.—  August  14. 
1818. 

Aug.  15.     Of  Mr.  Odiorne,  in  his  patent  cause       .           $80  00 
"     20.     Of  Salem  Bank,  in  cause  v.  Gloucester 

Bank          ......  30  00 

Of  Messrs.  Torrey,  Warner,  and  Co.,  for 

advice  respecting  guarantee        .  15  00 

"     24.     Of  Messrs.    Munson  and  Barnard,  for 

opening  in  case  of  Acct.    ...  25  00 

"     28.     Of  Arthur  Oilman  .         .         .         .  20  00 

"     29.     Of  Mr.  Dearborn  in  lottery  case      .         .  150  00 

Sept.    3.     Of  Mr.  R.  Crownin  shield,  in  case  Sturgis 

v.  Crowninshield         ....  150  00 

"       4.     Of  Mr.  B.  Smith,  for  advice,  on  will  of 

Abiel  Smith       .....  20  00 

Of  Mr.  Noyes,  in  Robinson's  business    .  25  00 

"       6.     Of  S.  T.  T.,  fee  in  case  T.  v.  Skinner     .  30  00 

"       9.     Of  Samuel  Wait  in  dispute  with  Mill 

corporation,  retainer  ....  50  00 

Of  Wm.  Tucker,  retainer  in  action  v. 

Weld          ......  40  00 

$635  00 


292 


PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 


1818.                                                   Brought  over  $635  00 

Sept.  11.     Of  Cline  and  others,  indicted  for  riot      .  20  00 
Of  Mr.  Barnard,  fee  in  Penniman  v. 

Barnard 25  00 

Of  B.  Eaton,  Jr.,  in  Simpson  v.  Eaton  20  00 

Oct.  15.     Of  United  States  in  action  v.  Lyman     .  250  00 
Of  S.  Hubbard,  retained  in  Richardson 

causes        ......  50  00 

«     25.     Of  Jas.  Otis 50  00 

"     28.     Of  H.  G.   Otis,  Jr.,  in  case  respecting 

bridge 30  00 

Of    Capt.    Tracy,   in     case    respecting 

Galen 20  00 

Nov.    2.     Of    Mr.    Gray,   advice   about   Bond  v. 

Essex  Bank 25  00 

Of  Mr.  Marsh,  fee  in  Harmon  v.  March, 

C.  P 40  00 

Of  Silas  Bullard 100  00 

"      3.     Of  Mr.  Foster's  Ex'rs  at  Salem     ...  70  00 
Of  John  Paine,  in  Page  v.   Paine,  in 

Essex 50  00 

Of  Caleb  Smith,  in  tobacco  cause,  Cir. 

Court        ......  25  00 

«       9.     Of    Bryant      and     Sturgis,     in      Paul 

Jones '  .  100  00 

For  opinions  about  Spanish  dollars        .  20  00 
"     10.     Of  Exr's  of  George  Crowninshield,  for 
case     on     will,      and     retainer     in 

"Bonds" 150  00 

"     13.     Of  defendant,  in  case  Stanwood  v.  Stan- 
wood  Essex 50  00 

Of  Salem  Bank  v.  Gloucester  Bank       .  70  00 

Of  Col.  Little,  in  Little  v.  Bradstreet    .  20  00 

Of  Dr.  Thomas  Sewall          ...  100  00 

Of  Mr.  Mclntyre,  in  Poole  v.  Mclntyre  30  00 
Of  J.  J.  Jackson,  retainer  in  N.  Hamp. 

case 40  00 

«     14.     Of  Mr.  Barker,  in  Calis  v.  Barker          .  3000 

$2,020  00 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  293 

1818.                                                    Brought  over  $2,020  00 
Nov.  17.     Of  Mr.  Mclntyre,  for  the  fees,  in  Poole 

against  him 20  00 

"     19.     Of  Mr.  Webb,  retainer  in  causes  v.  Capen  20  00 
«     24.     Of  Dr.  J.  S.  Stoughton,  retainer  in  The 

Industrier 100  00 

"     24.     Of  James  Rundlet,  in  factory  cause  v. 

Winkley 180  00 

"     26.     Of  Mr.  Dillaway,  in  Boardman  v.  him  40  00 

Of  Isaac  Danforth,  in  Lovejoy  v.  Lyman  30  00 

"     27.     Of  W.  Taggart,  in  Taggart  v.  Lewis     .  20  00 
Dec.     2.     Of   Mr.   Tucker,  retainer  Armstrong  v. 

Gray 50  00 

In  case  of  Neal  and  Walton           .         .  100  00 
Of  Mr.  Baxter,  retainer  in  E.  V.  Baxter's 

case 20  00 

"     11.     Of  Mr.  Henry,  in  Jenkins  v.  Henry         .  45  00 

Of  Mr.  Malagamba,  in  the  case  from  R.  J.  200  00 
Of  Mr.  Touro,  sometime  since,  in  God- 

dard's  case 20  00 

Of  Mr.  Barker,  in  Curtiss  v.  Barker        .  100  00 
Of  Mr.  Chesley,  in  Mill  Corporation  v. 

Chesley 20  00 

Of  Mr.  Bryant,  in  the  causes  v.  him        .  50  00 

Of  Mr.  Brackett,  in  Niles  v.  Brackett     .  20  00 
15.     Of  Natha'l  Russell  and  Company,  in  the 

Herring  causes  .....  30  00 


$3,085  00 
1819. 

fan.     2.     Of  Mr.  Pearson,  in  case  v.  Goodrich       .  110  00 

Of   Mr.   Otis,  Jr.,  retainer  in  Pet.  abt. 

Bridge 100  00 

Of  Mr.  Laurence,  fees  in  Searle  v.  Wil 
liams          70  00 

Of  Casus  extraor dinar ius       .        .         .          400  00 

14.     Of  Mr.  Blake,  for  fees  in  Hughes  case  .  500  00 

Of  William  Sullivan,  for  Dr.  Stoughton  250  00 

$4,515  00 
25* 


294 


PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


1819.                                                    Brought  over  $4,515  00 
Jan.    14.     Of  Mr.  Hamilton,  retainer  in  Amory  v. 

him 20  00 

Of  Coolidge  and  Deblois,  retainer           .  40  00 
Of  Mr.  Prince,  in  The  London  Packet 

cause,  at  Washington        .         ...  200  00 
Of    Mr.    Crowninshield,   in   Sturgis   v. 

Crowninshield 100  00 

Of  S.  Brown,  in  Yazoo  case           .         .  150  00 
Of  R.  D.  Lawler,  in  Harvey  v.  Richards  550  00 
Of  Mr.  Bulfmch,  in  case  about  Whit- 
comb's  will 20  00 

Of  Mr.  Peabody,  in  Osgood  v.  Breed     .  50  00 
Of    Mr.    Hubbard,  in    the    Richardson 

causes 100  00 

Of  Mr.  Warner 50  00 

Of  Mr.  Tucker,  balance  fees   in  Arm 
strong  v.  Gray 30  00 

«     25.     At  New  York,  of  Mr.  Prince                   ^  50  00 
«     28.     At  Baltimore,  of  Mr.  McCullough,  in  the 

Bank  cause 500  00 

Feb.  12.     Of  Mr.  Bell's  son,  at  Washington          .  200  00 

Mar.  13.     Of  Dr.  Haywood's  son,  for  his  father      .  30  00 
"     21.     Of  Mr.  Munson,  for  proprietors  of  Rowe's 

wharf '    .  20  00 

"     25.     Of  Mr.  Whitney    .        .        .      -%        .  16600 
Of  Mr.  Holker        .         .         .        ;     '  .  '       100  00 

Of  Mr.  Waddington,  N.  Y.  retainer        .  100  00 
Of  John  S.  Sullivan,  retainer  in  Patent 

causes 150  00 

Of    Mr.    Mitchell   of    Bridgewater,    re 
tainer         50  00 

Of  Mr.  S.  Dilloway,  paid  Mr.  Bliss        .  35  00 
April   7.     Of  Bank  of  United  States,  Balance  of 

fees 1,500  00 

Of  Mr.  L.  Tappan,  in  Barrell  v.  Gilman  50  00 
Of  George  Sullivan,  Esq.  in   James  v. 

Rogers        .                  ....  160  00 

§8,936  00 


DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


295 


1819.                                                    Brought  over  $8,936  00 
April    8.     Of  Nathan  Hale,  Esq.  in  Guild  v.  Hale 

Executors 70  00 

"       9.     Of  R.  Crowninshield,  Esq.  retainer          .  100  00 
"     10.     Of  Messrs.   A.  and  A.  by   Mr.  Peters, 

acceptance          .         .                  .         .  2,000  00 

Of  Mr.  Farley 20  00 

Of  Mr.  Potter,  in  N.  E.  Bank  v.  him      .  50  00 

«     13.     Of  Mr.  Parkrnan,  by  Mr.  Gallison           .  50  00 

"     14.     Of  Dedham  Bank,  balance  of  account   .  100  00 
Of   Theodore   Ely,   retainer  by   R.   D. 

Tucker 50  00 

Of  Mr.  Hooper 250  00 

"     19.     Of  Mr.  Gardiner,  advice  about  marriage 

articles 20  00 

Of  Mr.  T.  L.  Winthrop  and  Mr.  R.  Sul 
livan,  Trustees  under  Mr.  Bowdoin's 

will 100  00 

Of  W.  Mitchell,  Jr.,  in   Allen  and  Mit 
chell's  causes      .....  50  00 
Of  Mr.  Levering,  Jr.,  retainer  in  Herrick 

v.  Gilman,  &c 50  00 

"     26.     Of  Benjamin  Eaton,  Jr.,  in  settlement  of 

Halliburton  cause      ....  40  00 
"     29.     Of  Mr.   Tucker,  through  Mr.  Hubbard, 

balance  in  Weed  suits       .         .         .  100  00 
May     1.     Of  Jas.  Holmes,  retainer  in  New  Orleans 

cause,  C.  C.  New  Hampshire    .         .  50  00 
"       6.     Of  State  bank,  by  J.  T.  A.,  in  case  v. 

Baxter  and  Boardman        ...  50  00 

"       7.     Of  F.  &  M.  Insurance  office,  account    .  150  00 

Of  John  Jacob  Astor,  retainer         .         .  50  00 
"     17.     Of  Mr.  Balch,  retainer  for  owners   of 

The  Prometheus        ....  50  00 

"     18.     Of  Mr.  Welch,  in  Dr.  Shattuck's  action  25  00 

"     22.     Of  Mr.  Hooper 1,000  00 

John  Richards,  in  Maury's  case      .         .  540  00 

June    1.     Of  Mr.  Vaughan,  in  Hallowell  Bank  case  30  00 

$13,931  00 


296  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

1819.  Brought  over  $13,931  00 

June    1.     Of  Messrs.  E-.  and  S.,  advice  in  slander 

case 20  00 

"       3.     Of  Mr.  Gilchrist,  retainer        ...  20  00 

"       4.     Of  Mr.  Eaton,  in  the  Bradley  cause        .  50  00 

«       5.     Of  the  Charlestown  committee       .         .  20000 

Of  R.  D.  Tucker  and  Company,  retainer, 

in  United  States  Bank  v.  Brown       .  50  00 
Of  Benjamin  Hale,  for  writ  against  Man 
ning  20  00 

Of  Munson  and  Barnard,  in  M.  and  B. 

v.  Amory 20  00 

July     2.     Of  C.  J.  Catlett,  retainer         ...  100  00 

«       3.     Mr.  Wait 40  00 

«       5.     In  Holker's  cause  with  Mackay     .         .  100  00 

Of  Mr.  Maury,  deducting  error  in  first 

credit 210  00 

Of  Mr.  Russell,  in  New  York,  say  in  his 

account  in  Ledger      ....  50  00 

June  11.     Of  Mr.  Bradbury,  on  settlement  of  Mr. 

Astor's  case   " 90  00 

«     22.     Of  Executors  of  John  Brooks         .  40  00 

Of   Messrs.    Gurney   and   Putnam,   re 
tainer  paid  Mr.  Bliss ....  50  00 
Of  R.  D.  T.,  as  fee,  for  advice  in  their 
business  and  concerns  one  year  from 

this  time 50  00 

Of   Mr.  Brigham,  retainer  for   Samuel 

Williams 50  00 

Of    R.    Freeman,   in  behalf   of    Sand 
wich  20  00 

Aug.  11.     Of  Mr.  Clarke,  balance  of  fees  in  Capen 

causes 50  00 

"     12.     Of  Mr.  Briggs,  Esq.,  by  H.  Hace,  Esq.  .  20  00 


$15,181  00 

I  have   omitted   several   small  affairs   and   sums  under  tc 
doUars.  D.  W. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  297 

1832. 
Oct.     8.     Of  Merchant  Ins.  Co.,  for  retainer  for  two 

years  to  come $200  00 

Of  Suffolk  office,  retainer  up  to  Dec.  1, 

1833 100  00 

Of  Mr.  Dewolfe,  in  Dodge  et  ah.  v.  De- 

wolfe          . 200  00 

Retainer  for   Dr.   Nott,  patent   causes, 

through  Mr.  Codman         ...  100  00 

«     23.     In  case  of  Bradbury  Cilley's  wilJ    .         .  100  00 

Nov.  12.     Of  P.  P.  and  Co.,  retainer      ...  100  00 

Of  D.  Sears,  Esq.,  for  Jackson  Co.         .  100  00 

Of  N.  E.  Ins.  Co.  and  Boston  Ins.  Co., 

fee  in  The  Dover        ....  400  00 

Of  Washington  Ins.  Co.,  annual  retainer          100  00 
Of  N.  E.  Ins.  Co.,  annual  retainer          .  100  00 

Of  Boston  Ins.  Co.,  annual  retainer       .          100  00 
"     20.     Of  Messrs.  Baring,  Brothers  and  Co.,  an 
nual  retainer  through  Mr.  Ward         .  100  00 
Dec.     4.     Of  Wm.  Savage,  Esq.,  balance  fee  due  100  00 
Of  Rob.  Fuller,  Esq.,  retainer        .  50  00 
"       7.     Received  of  John  A.  Lowell,  $100,  as  an 
additional  retainer  for  Locks  and  Ca 
nals,  which  is  to  serve  as  a  retainer  in 

all  cases 100  00 

«     12.     Of  W.  Phillips  $30,  retainer  in  Revere 

v.  Copper  Co 30  00 

"     18.     Of  Messrs.  Black  and  Co.,  Smyrna,  re 
tainer  against  suit  of  Mr.  McTier     .  50  00 
Of  S.  A.  Welles,  retainer        ...           100  00 
«     21.     Of  John  R.  Willis,  in  behalf  of  Orthodox 

Quakers 25000 

1833. 

Jan'y    1.     Of  Thos.  P.  E.  of  Arkansas,  for  opinion  100  00 

Of  Mr.  Avery  of  North  Carolina,  through 

Mr.  Badger 200  00 

Feb'y          Of  Col.  White 250  00 

Of  Mr.  Tomlinson,  for  Mr.  Davenport    .          100  00 

$3,030  00 


298 


PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 


1833.  Brought  over     $3,030  00 

Mar.     3.     Congress  pay 992  00 

"     25.     Of  Mr.  Johnson,  balance  fee  .        .        .  50  00 

Of  Mr.  Blount,  fee  in  Danish  claim        .  190  00 
Of  Mr.  Payne  and  Mr.  Donelson,  fee  for 
Mr.   Wheaton,  in   his  cause   v.   Mr. 

Peters t,»  500  00 

"     27.     Of  Mr.  Griswold,  retainer        .-        .         .  10000 

Of  same,  on  account  French  claims       .  500  00 
"     29.     Of  J.   H.  Clarke,  in  controversy    with 

Field 50  00 

April    5.     Of  Dr.  Van  Rensselaer,  retainer     .         .  500  00 
Of  T.  W.  Ward,  for  divers  professional 

services 500  00 

Of  Mr.  Gifford       .....  100  00 

Of  Mr.  Lawrence,  at  Worcester     .         .  200  00 

Of  Mr.  Sergeant,  through  Mr.  Snelling  .  100  00 
May     9.     Of  Isaac  D.,  retainer,  in  behalf  of  his 

patent  baker 100  00 

Of  Mr.  Loring,  for  Mill  Corporation  v. 

Railroad     .        .        .        .        .        .  100  00 

Aug.     3.     Of  Mr.  Curtis,  in  Daggett  v.  Barney, 

finale 150  00 

Of  Mr.  Jones,  on  Corporation  v.  him      .  50  00 

"       7.     Of  Edward  Curtis,  de  bene  esse     .        .  250  00 
Of  Stephen  White,  general  retainer  for 

three  years          .         .         .         .         »  300  00 

Of  Newark  people,  in  May     .         ,        ,  200  00 
Sept.    5.     Of  Mr.  Chever,  through  Mr.  Choate,  in 

Stone  v.  Chever          .        .        .        .  50  00 

Of  B.  and  L.,  retainer     ....  100  00 

«       9.     Of  Mr.  G.  and  Mrs.  T 100  00 

$8,212  00 

Sept.  9,  1833. — Thus  done  and  concluded,  Sept.  9. — A  very 
poor  year's  work.  Nullification  kept  me  out  of  the  supreme 
court  all  last  winter. 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  299 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  January  10,  1819. 

DEAR  SIR, — A  letter  came  to  me  to-day,  addressed  to  you, 
bearing  the  Hanover  postmark.  As  it  was  not  superscribed  in  a 
lady's  hand,  I  presumed  it  might  relate  to  the  common  cause, 
and  might  be  intended  to  communicate  information  important 
for  me  to  have.  I  therefore  opened  it.  It  was  from  Mr.  Shurt- 
leff,  containing  some  little  account  of  movements  on  the  other 
side.  I  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  send  it  back  to  you. 

I  have  nothing  new  to  say.  No  public  or  general  opinion 
seems  to  be  formed  of  the  opinion  of  any  particular  judge.  I 
hope  no  judge,  if  he  has  formed  an  opinion,  will  communicate 
it,  or  hint  what  it  is  ;  inasmuch  as  it  would  commit  him,  which 
would  be  likely  to  make  him  more  tenacious,  and  so  be  worse 
for  us,  if  his  opinion  should  be  against  us,  or  it  might  diminish 
the  weight  of  his  opinion  upon  others,  if  it  should  be  in  our 
favor.  I  hope  the  judges  will  come  together  without  its  being 
known  at  all  what  opinions  any  particular  judge  may  have 
formed. 

I  have  received  the  records  from  Mr.  Farrar,  and  I  believe  am 
prepared  with  all  necessary  papers.  The  book  of  memoirs  I 
shall  not  carry.  Dr.  Perkins  can  lend  me  one,  if  I  should 
want  it. 

If  any  thing  new  occurs  before  I  leave  home,  I  shall  write  you. 
You  may  expect  early  and  frequent  intelligence  from  Washing 
ton.  Very  truly,  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    CHIEF    JUSTICE    SMITH. 

Washington,  February  2,  1819. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  the  pleasure  to  tell  you  that  the  college 
cause  has  been  decided  in  our  favor.  The  Chief  Justice, 
Washington,  Livingston,  Johnson,  and  Story,  Justices,  concur- 
rentibus ;  Duval,  Justice,  dissentiente ;  absente,  Todd.  The 


300  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

opinion  was  delivered  by  the  chief.     I  believe  other  judges  also 
drew  up  opinions,  which  I  hope  to  see  published. 

With  all  reasonable  congratulation  and  rejoicing,  I  am,  dear 
Sir,  Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  February  2,  1819. 

MY  DEAR  EZEKIEL, — All  is  safe.  Judgment  was  rendered  this 
morning,  reversing  the  judgment  in  New  Hampshire.  Present : 
Marshall,  Washington,  Livingston,  Johnson,  Duval,  and  Story. 
All  concurring  but  Duval ;  and  he  giving  no  reason  to  the  con 
trary.  The  opinion  was  delivered  by  the  Chief  Justice.  It  was 
very  able  and  very  elaborate ;  it  goes  the  whole  length,  and 
leaves  not  an  inch  of  ground  for  the  University  to  stand  on. 
Yours  affectionately, 

D.  WEBSTER,  in  court 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Washington,  February  2,  1819. 

MY  DEAR  SIR. — All  is  safe  and  certain.  The  Chief  Justice 
delivered  an  opinion  this  morning,  in  our  favor,  on  all  the  points. 
In  this  opinion,  Washington,  Livingston,  Johnson,  and  Story, 
Justices,  are  understood  to  have  concurred.  Duval,  Justice,  it 
is  said,  dissents.  Mr.  Justice  Todd  is  not  present.  The  opinion 
goes  the  whole  length,  and  leaves  nothing  further  to  be  decided. 
I  give  you  my  congratulations  on  this  occasion  ;  and  assure  you 
that  I  feel  a  load  removed  from  my  shoulders  much  heavier  than 
they  have  been  accustomed  to  bear. 

Very  truly,  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER,  3Q1 


MR.    HOPKINSON    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Washington,  February  2,  1819. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  have  the  pleasure  of  enclosing  you  a  letter  in 
forming  you  of  great  matters.  Our  triumph  in  the  college  cause 
has  been  complete.  Five  judges,  only  six  attending,  concur 
not  only  in  a  decision  in  our  favor,  but  in  placing  it  upon  prin 
ciples  broad  and  deep,  and  which  secure  corporations  of  this 
description  from  legislative  despotism  and  party  violence  for  the 
future.  The  Court  goes  all  lengths  with  us,  and  whatever  trouble 
these  gentlemen  may  give  us  in  future,  in  their  great  and  pious 
zeal  for  the  interests  of  learning,  they  cannot  shake  those  prin 
ciples  which  must  and  will  restore  Dartmouth  College  to  its 
true  and  original  owners.  I  would  have  an  inscription  over  the 
door  of  your  building,  "  Founded  by  Eleazar  Wheelock,  lie- 
founded  by  Daniel  Webster." 

I  wish  you,  Sir,  much  happiness  and  success  in  promoting  the 
usefulness  of  the  institution,  and  proving  to  the  world  that  it  has 
changed  hands.  Most  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

Jos.  HOPKINSON. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Washington,  February  23,  1819. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — In  the  action  The  Trustees  v.  "Woodward, 
judgment  is  entered,  nunc  pro  tune,  as  of  last  term.  This 
relieves  us  from  any  difficulty  that  might  arise  from  Mr.  Wood 
ward's  death.  The  other  causes  are  not  yet  reached,  but  I  am 
inclined  to  think  they  will  take  this  course,  namely :  They  must, 
in  any  event,  go  back  to  the  Circuit  Court  for  judgment.  Of 
course,  in  that  event,  if  other  material  facts  exist,  the  parties 
would  have  an  opportunity  of  establishing  those  facts.  You 
understand  that  the  cause  comes  here,  not  for  judgment,  but 
for  a  direction  to  the  Circuit  Court  what  judgment  to  give  on 
the  verdict  in  that  court.  But  after  having  received  direction 
what  judgment  to  give  on  that  verdict,  the  circuit  might,  in 
its  discretion,  give  the  party  an  opportunity  of  altering  the 
VOL.  i.  26 


302  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

state  of  facts,  if  he  could.  This  is  but  the  common  case  of 
granting  a  new  trial,  which  is  frequent.  I  do  not  see  that  it 
would  do  us  any  good  to  get  a  direction  from  the  court  here  to 
the  Circuit  Court  what  judgment  to  render  on  this  verdict, 
because,  the  parties  say,  they  have  new  facts,  and  they  may,  for 
aught  I  know,  be  permitted  to  prove  these  new  facts  in  this 
very  cause.  As  to  arguing  the  case  here,  upon  admissions  of 
new  facts,  it  is  out  of  all  question.  They  will  state  one  fact, 
we  shall  state  an  inconsistent  or  repugnant  fact,  what  judgment 
can  be  formed  on  such  materials  ?  The  impossibility  of  this 
will  be  seen  just  as  soon  as  we  approach  the  question.  If, 
therefore,  the  other  side  have  an  argument  here,  it  must  be  on 
precisely  the  old  facts.  Now  I  think  Mr.  P.  and  Mr.  W. 
having  seen  the  opinions  of  the  court,  will  hardly  attempt  that. 
It  will  therefore  come  to  this.  The  cause  will  be  sent  back 
without  further  discussion  here.  These  verdicts  will  be  set 
aside,  so  far  as  to  admit  proof  of  other  pertinent  facts.  They 
will  then,  if  they  please,  offer  proof  of  a  particular  fact.  We 
shall  object  on  the  ground  that  that  fact  is  not  material,  or  per 
tinent.  The  judge  will  decide  this,  and  if  they  do  not  like  the 
decision,  they  will  tender  a  bill  of  exceptions.  Of  all  the 
courses  which  offer  themselves,  this  seems  to  be  the  most  safe 
and  easy  for  us.  All  this  goes  on  the  ground  that  there  should 
remain  a  serious  intention  of  further  litigation.  But  I  am  of 
opinion,  inter  nos,  that  any  such  intention  will  be  abandoned, 
that  counsel  here  will  be  willing  to  be  rid  of  it,  and  do  not  wish 
to  argue  it  again.  For  the  moment  there  is  fermentation  in 
New  Hampshire  ;  I  suspect  it  will  go  off  with  the  election  ;  and 
when  the  case  is  printed,  I  do  not  think  any  counsel  will  advise 
to  any  further  contest.  At  any  rate,  the  course  above  indicated 
seems  to  me  the  natural  one  for  the  business  to  take.  I  am 
persuaded  it  will  take  it.  You  will  not,  therefore,  probably  hear 
of  any  new  arguments  at  this  term.  I  hope  to  get  away  from 
this  place  in  season  to  get  home  by  March  10  or  15. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  3Q3 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MH»  BROWN. 

Washington,  February  25,  1819. 

DEAR  SIR, — Yours  I  received  last  evening.  The  new  causes 
will  be  disposed  of  as  I  mentioned  to  you  in  my  last.  I  am 
quite  satisfied  with  this  arrangement,  and  do  not  expect  much 
further  trouble  in  the  case.  We  shall  get  a  judgment,  1  trust, 
at  May  term,  even  if  the  friends  of  the  University  should  be 
advised  that  it  is  worth  their  while  to  attempt  to  renew  the 
contest.  I  hope  they  will  be  better  advised,  both  for  their  own 
sake  and  yours.  You  need  the  use  of  the  buildings,  and  I 
hope  they  will  admit  you  to  possession  without  further  incon 
venience  or  delay.  I  am  quite  confident  that  there  can  be  no 
reasonable  expectation  of  changing  the  decision ;  and  though  it 
may  be  inconvenient  to  you,  it  can  do  no  good  to  the  other  side 
to  continue  the  contest. 

I  hope  to  be  at  home  by  the  15th  March.  I  should  be  glad  to 
see  you  at  that  time ;  some  things  which  must  be  done,  may 
better  be  done  then  than  afterwards.  I  shall  carry  with  me  the 
materials  for  the  book ;  and  if  it  is  made,  it  ought  to  be  put  to 
press  without  a  day's  delay.  Let  me  at  least  find  a  letter  from 
you  at  Boston  on  my  arrival,  say  the  13th.  The  sooner  after 
that  that  you  are  there,  the  better. 

Very  truly  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  April  14,  1819. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  happy  to  hear  that  Mrs.  Woodward  is  so 
well  advised  as  to  be  disposed  to  surrender  the  property  accord 
ing  to  agreement.  I  should  be  equally  happy  to  see  the  President 
of  the  University  wise  enough  to  deliver  the  books  and  appara 
tus,  and  retire  from  the  contest  without  giving  anybody  further 
trouble.  His  own  reputation  and  character,  I  should  think,  would 
be  as  much  benefited  by  that  course  as  your  convenience.  If 
he  thinks  otherwise,  however,  he  has  a  right  to  judge  for  himself. 
I  do  not  know  any  thing  which  is  necessary  to  be  done  by  way 


304  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

of  preparation.  I  have  written  to  Mr.  Mason  repeatedly.  Mr. 
Olcott  must  be  there ;  hi*  presence  will  be  essentially  necessary 
on  many  accounts.  I  wish  him  to  bring  with  him  your  affida 
vit  of  the  notice  given  by  you  to  Mr.  Allen  and  Dr.  Perkins,  of 
our  intention  to  proceed  to  final  judgment  in  these  causes  this 
term,  and  the  time  of  giving  such  notice.  Mr.  Mason  has  given 
notice  to  the  counsel.  I  flatter  myself  the  cause  will  not  be  put 
off  to  October  term  without  reason. 

The  University  folks  should  understand,  very  distinctly,  that 
we  are  resolved  to  bring  this  controversy  to  an  immediate  end, 
and  that  they  are  to  have  no  delay,  except  such  as  they  can 
obtain  by  law.  There  is  a  fable  of  the  old  man  and  the  boy 
who  stole  his  apples,  which  it  would  be  edifying  for  the  gentle 
men  connected  with  the  University  to  read. 

I  think  of  nothing  necessary  to  be  done  by  the  trustees 
particularly. 

As  to  the  proposals,  I  hear  little  of  them.  Mr.  Lamson  of 
Exeter  was  here,  and  finding  nothing  done,  attempted  gratui 
tously  to  do  something ;  and  I  helped  him  as  I  could.  Nothing 
effectual  will  be  done  from  Portsmouth  on  that  subject. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  April  14,  1819., 

DEAR  SIR, — 1  write  this  to  add  that  I  think  it  would  be  very 
fortunate  if  President  Allen,  Dr.  Perkins,  and  their  friends, 
should  be  at  Portsmouth. 

I  have  reason  to  think  they  wrould  learn  that  the  new  grounds 
upon  which  they  wish  to  put  their  case,  would  not  change  the 
opinion  of  the  judges,  or  any  of  them,  in  any  respect.  Perhaps, 
however,  you  could  not  suggest  this  to  them  ;  I  think  you  can 
not.  But  if  they  should  attend  of  their  own  heads,  it  would  be 
well. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  3Q5 


MR.    HOPKINSON    TO    MR.   WEBSTER. 

Bordentown,  April  19,  1819. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — It  is  but  time  and  labor  thrown  away  to 
attempt  to  do  that  which  we  know  to  be  impossible.  This 
proposition  seems  to  me  to  be  so  clear  that  nobody  but  Luther 
Martin,  who  delights  in  amplitude,  or  P.  Barbour,  whose  logical 
head  disdains  to  take  any  thing  for  granted,  would  give  a 
moment  to  prove  it.  I  shall  presume  that  you  admit  it,  and 
proceed  to  say  that  this  is  precisely  the  case,  in  relation  to 
making  up  either  the  speech  I  did  make  or  one  I  did  not  make, 
in  our  college  cause,  from  the  notes  which  served  well  enough 
to  guide  me  through  the  argument  at  the  time  of  the  trial.  The 
chain  of  connection,  the  -whole  course  of  thought,  are  now  so 
entirely  lost  and  gone  with  the  things  "  beyond  the  flood,"  that 
they  are  as  much  out  of  my  power  as  Noah's  ark,  or  Jacob's 
ladder.  All  I  can  do  is  to  give  good  counsel  instead  of  a  bad 
speech,  to  wit,  that  it  be  stated  in  its  proper  place  in  the  big 
book,  that  the  argument  of  Mr.  Hopkinson  at  large  could  not  be 
obtained,  but  that  it  consisted  of  a  repetition  of  the  principles 
opened  by  Mr.  Webster,  enforcing  and  illustrating  them  by 
various  cases  and  arguments ;  and  giving  full  and  satisfactory 
answers  to  the  arguments  urged  by  the  counsel  on  the  other 
side.  Something  of  this  will  answer  all  the  purpose. 

I  will  write  to  you  shortly  on  our  matter  of  business. 

God  bless  you, — yours, 

J.  HOPKINSON. 

P.  S.  I  have  heard  you  Boston  folks  brag  that  the  codfish 
we  get  are  not  the  thing ;  but  you  have  a  certain  animal  called 
a  "  Dun  fish,"  much  superior.  Can  you  procure  me  a  box,  and 
send  it  to  Philadelphia?  Cost  and  charges  will  be  cheerfully 
paid  by  J.  H. 

26*' 


306  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    CHIEF    JUSTICE    SMITH. 

Boston,  May  12,  1819. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  send  you  by  Judge  Peabody  your  argument 
and  Mason's,  bungingly  put  together  by  me.  Right  or  wrong, 
I  have  done  the  deed.  So  great,  and  how  great  you  know,  was 
the  want  of  information  on  this  subject  by  our  best  men,  that  I 
could  endure  it  no  longer.  Some  few  copies  are  printed,  not  to 
be  published,  but  to  be  read  by  those  who  ought  to  understand 
the  subject  a  little.  I  shall  take  all  care  I  can  not  to  let  the 
things  get  much  abroad.  It  is,  as  you  see,  nameless ;  and  it 
may  go  "unclaimed  of  any  man."  I  have  been  more  than 
usually  silly  on  this  occasion ;  ascribe  it  to  having  been  six 
weeks  at  Washington.  Mr.  Wells  has  received  a  few  new 
books ;  not  yet  opened.  If  you  wish  any  particular  book  which 
he  is  likely  to  have,  I  will  look  out  for  it,  if  you  let  me  know 
soon.  I  believe  he  has  the  latest  reports. 

Always  very  truly  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.   WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  May  30,  181 D. 

DEAR  SIR, — James  T.  Austin,  Esq.,  in  behalf  of  the  Univer 
sity,  presented  the  new  facts  to  Judge  Story  on  Thursday.  They 
were  what  we  expected  and  no  more.  The  judge  said,  he  saw 
nothing  to  vary  at  all  the  case,  as  it  had  been  considered  and 
decided.  None  of  these  "  facts,"  if  true,  changed  the  ground ; 
nor  did  he  see  any  the  least  contradiction  between  any  of  these 
facts  arid  the  recitals  of  the  charter.  He  was  willing,  however, 
to  take  the  papers  and  read  them  attentively,  to  the  end  that  he 
might  fully  ascertain  whether  they  presented  any  new  point 
which  could  be  material.  He  accordingly  took  home  the  papers, 
and  to-morrow  or  the  next  day,  will  probably  announce  his  final 
decision.  There  is  no  doubt  about  it.  These  new  fact 
whether  true  or  false,  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  question 
and  you  may  expect  judgment  and  execution  in  the  causes 
the  Circuit  Court,  June  10,  as  by  arrangement  made  at  Ports- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  307 

mouth.  I  am  glad  you  have  made  a  bargain  for  the  house, 
provided  it  is  a  good  bargain.  The  house,  I  think,  will  suit 
your  purpose,  and  a  house  you  needed.  If  in  order  to  furnish 
it,  you  have  occasion  to  order  any  articles  from  here,  you  will 
do  me  a  favor  by  directing  the  venders  to  present  their  bills  to 
me  ;  I  will  pay  them,  and  be  reimbursed  at  your  convenience. 

Very  truly  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     I  trust  you  will  write  me  before  you  leave  Concord, 
and  let  me  know  what  temper  you  find  prevalent  there. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  June  28,  1819. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  received  yours  of  the  13th,  and  have  felt  in  too 
much  spleen  to  answer  it.  Whoso  meddleth  with  type-setters 
gets  into  trouble.  You  have  narrated  the  progress,  present  state, 
and  prospects  of  our  book,  in  a  manner  to  make  one's  blood 
run  cold. 

It  appears  to  me  as  desperate  as  it  does  to  you,  and  I  be 
lieve  the  safest  way  is  to  make  up  our  minds  that  we  shall  have 
10  book  ;  none  at  least  in  this  generation.     I  wrote  to  Mr.  Far- 
ir,    have  got  his  answer,  and  written  again.     He  thinks  the 
book  will  be  out  at  Commencement.     If  it  should  not  be  well 
printed,  and  on  our  good  paper,  it  will  not  sell,  and  a  new  book 
be  published.     I  have  so  stated  to  Mr.  Farrar,  and  he  may 
)e  assured  it  is  true. 

I  suppose  you  go  to  Haverhill  about  this  time.  My  wife  and 
I  have  made  up  our  minds  to  a  journey,  which  will  occupy  us 
till  toward  the  end  of  July.  We.  shall  go  to  the  North  River, 
ind  perhaps  to  the  Springs.  We  expect  to  leave  here  about  the 
5th  July.  I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  that  Mr.  Gore  is  ill  again. 
His  other  knee  has  become  affected.  It  is  now  some  time  since 
this  was  the  case,  and  I  have  heard  within  a  day  or  two  of  his 
being  a  little  better,  still  he  is  quite  unwell.  We  have  no  news 
here,  nor  is  any  thing  doing. 

It  is  very  much  my  wish  that  you  would  not  decline  the 


303  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

trusteeship.  It  will  give  great  satisfaction  this  way,  and  by 
staying  a  single  year,  you  can  do  a  great  deal  of  good.  Judge 
Story  is  going  to  Commencement,  with  his  wife.  We  will 
make  a  party,  and  go  your  way,  and  take  you  and  Mrs.  Mason. 

Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  August  10,  [1819.] 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — We  have  at  length  returned  from  an  unex 
pectedly  long  journey.  Our  trip  extended  to  Philadelphia,  and  on 
our  return,  we  went  up  the  North  River  as  far  as  Albany,  from 
which  place  we  came  home  without  rinding  it  necessary  on 
account  of  health  to  drink  the  Spring  waters.  Mrs.  Webster 
is  for  the  present  satisfied  with  riding  and  will  not  think  of 
going  to  Hanover ;  I  believe  I  shall  attempt  it.  As  you  have 
been  somewhat  stationary  through  the  summer,  I  hope  you  will 
come  up.  I  propose  to  go  from  here  in  such  season  as  to  be  at 
Concord  or  Boscawen  on  Sunday  evening.  It  is  then  an  easy 
day's  ride  to  Hanover ;  I  shall  go  up  in  my  chaise,  and  should 
be  particularly  glad  to  meet  you  at  Concord.  I  do  not  think 
Judge  Story  will  go  up ;  he  has  engagements  here  which  he 
cannot  well  leave.  I  shall  ask  the  driver  of  the  stage-coach  to 
deliver  you  this,  and  to  take  an  answer,  if  you  have  one.  It 
will  be  very  gratifying  if  I  should  learn  that  you  contemplate 
this  expedition. 

Mrs.  Webster  and  myself  desire  our  best  respects  to  be  given 
to  Mrs.  Mason. 

Yours  truly,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  possibly  may  go  from  here  on  Friday  morning,  and 
so  shall  not  get  your  answer  unless  you  send  it  to-morrow  by 
the  driver. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  309 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  September  26,  [1819.] 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — I  have  received  yours  this  moment,  and 
shall  be  most  happy  to  give  you  and  procure  for  you  all  letters 
in  my  power.  Be  good  enough  to  let  me  know  when  it  will  be 
seasonable  to  write  you  at  Hanover,  and  when  you  may  prob 
ably  go.  It  will  give  me  the  most  sincere  gratification  to  give 
you  letters  to  my  friends  in  Philadelphia,  Charleston,  Washington, 
and  Savannah ;  but  as  in  some  of  these  places  my  acquaintance 
is  not  great,  I  shall  be  happy  to  find  you  letters  from  other  gen 
tlemen.  Have  the  goodness  to  say  what  places  you  may  be 
likely  to  visit,  and  in  the  mean  time  I  shah1  be  preparing  letters 
to  gentlemen  in  the  places  where  I  have  acquaintance.  I  will 
obtain  letters,  as  I  am  sure  I  can,  from  Judge  Story  and  Dr. 
Kirkland. 

I  rejoice  in  every  amendment  of  your  health,  and  am  most 
truly,  Your  friend, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     Please  let  me  hear  from  you  by  return  of  mail. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BROWN. 

Boston,  October  5,  1819. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  paid  Mr.  Lang's  draft,  eighty  dollars, 
and  have  also  given  him  one  hundred  dollars  for  you.  For  the 
balance,  three  hundred  and  twenty  dollars,  you  can  either  draw 
your  bill,  or  order,  in  such  sums  as  suit  you,  and  at  times  conve 
nient,  on  your  journey,  as  you  may  direct  me  to  send  it  to  you, 
at  New  York  or  Philadelphia;  in  either  of  which  cases  your 
commands  will  be  obeyed.  If  you  prefer  the  money  to  be  sent 
you,  write  me  to  that  effect  before  you  leave  Hanover.  Mr. 
Professor  Haddock,  being  himself  a  traveller,  can  tell  you  what 
will  be  most  convenient  for  you  in  that  respect.  Mr.  Lang's 
departure  is  to  be  so  soon  that  I  shall  not  be  able,  with  entire 
convenience,  to  send  up  the  balance  by  him.  I  can  easily,  how- 


310  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

ever,   cause   it  to   meet  you,  either  in   Philadelphia  or   New 
York. 

I  send  you  a  few  letters,  and  hope  to  have  some  from  Dr. 
Kirkland  to  meet  you  in  Philadelphia.  I  shall  send  them  to  the 
care  of  Charles  Chauncey,  Esq.,  counsellor  at  law,  Walnut 
street,  to  whom  you  have  a  letter.  I  have  asked  Mr.  Dwight 
for  letters,  which  he  has  kindly  furnished,  and  which  I  enclose. 
I  hope  you  will  see  Mr.  Wolsey  in  New  York,  a  brother-in-law 
of  the  late  President  Dwight,  and  an  excellent  man. 

I  have  written  two  letters  to  Charles  March,  Esq.,  New  York. 
He  is  a  merchant,  a  son  of  Dr.  Clement  March,  deceased,  Green 
land,  New  Hampshire.  One  is  a  letter  of  introduction,  the 
other  you  will  see  and  use  or  not  use  according  to  your  occa 
sion.  I  will  only  add  that  you  must  omit  nothing  beneficial 
to  your  health  on  account  of  expense.  If  the  "ways  and 
means  "  fall  short,  write  to  me  from  any  place,  at  any  time,  and 
some  way  or  another  we  will  see  your  necessary  funds  forth 
coming. 

May  God  bless  and  preserve  you  and  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

Mr.  C.  March  is  now  here,  and  I  told  him  you  would  call  on 
him,  probably  in  New  York.     He  will  be  glad  to  see  you. 
Since  writing  I  enclose  fifty  dollars. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  Saturday  evening,  8  o'clock,  October,  1819. 
MY  DEAR  SIR, — Enclosed  you  have  a  letter  from  Mr.  Gore. 
Mrs.  Webster  and  I  have  been  there  to-day,  where  we  had 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  Mr.  King.  Mr.  King  expressed  a  great 
wish  to  see  you ;  said  he  had  thought  of  going  as  far  as  Ports 
mouth,  but  could  not  well  go  there,  without  going  further,  and 
it  would  not  be  convenient  at  this  time  to  go  to  Maine.  The 
object  of  this  is  to  join  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gore,  and  Mr.  King,  in  the 
wish  that  you  and  Mrs.  Mason  would  come  up  next  \veek  and 
make  us  a  visit.  Mr.  King  will  probably  stay  at  Mr.  Gore's 
until  the  latter  part  of  next  week.  I  hope  you  and  Mrs.  Mason 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  311 

will  find  it  convenient  to  come  up,  as  it  will  give  us  great 
pleasure  to  see  you,  and  it  will  also  gratify  Mr.  Gore  and  Mr. 
King.  Our  household  is  now  well.  We  have  a  chamber,  as 
usual,  for  you,  and  shall  depend  on  your  coming  directly  here. 
The  circuit  court  sits  here  next  week ;  there  is  nothing  to  do  in 
it ;  it  is  as  lean  as  your  Exeter  circuit  court,  and,  as  far  as  I  now 
know,  will  not  engage  me  a  single  day.  On  all  accounts  it 
would  be  pleasant  to  have  a  visit  from  you  now.  I  send  this 
by  the  driver,  in  order  to  anticipate  a  day,  as  the  mail  for  to 
morrow  is  closed.  Please  favor  me  with  a  line  to-morrow 
afternoon,  in  answer  to  this,  and  be  kind  enough  to  say  that 
you  will  be  here  on  Tuesday. 

Mrs.  Webster  desires  me  to  say  to  Mrs.  Mason  that  she 
must  come ;  and  that,  you  know,  is  the  end  of  a  lady's  argument. 

In  the  hope  of  seeing  you, 

I  am  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

N.  B.  As  I  always  choose  to  end  my  own  arguments,  I  take 
the  liberty  to  fill  this  little  space  in  my  husband's  letter,  my 
dear  Mrs.  Mason,  to  beg  that  you  and  Mr.  Mason  will  gratify 
us  with  a  visit  next  week.  We  are  quite  alone,  and  I  am  ready 
to  attend  you  any  where,  being  very  much  at  leisure,  and  shah1  be 
very  much  disappointed  if  you  do  not  come.  With  much  love, 

Truly  yours, 

G.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  Sunday  evening,  [1819.] 

DEAR  SIR, — I  send  the  creature,  and  commend  it  to  your  dis 
creet  use.  I  hope  you  will  find  that  I  have  not  abandoned  the 
old  ground,  notwithstanding  the  high  authority  of  a  newspaper. 
I  already  repent  of  having  this  thing  printed,  but  must  make 
the  best  of  it  now. 

There  is  one  point  on  which  I  have  suspected  that  my  opin 
ion  differs  from  Judge  Smith's;  I  think  that  the  trustees  are 
most  clearly  visitors,  and  that  this  lies  at  the  bottom  of  our  case, 
and  as  visitors,  I  think  they  are  not  answerable  in  any  court, 


312  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

while  acting  within  the  scope  of  their  visitatorial  power.  I 
should  be  glad  you  would  think  of  this  a  little.  If  I  am  in  an 
error,  it  is  a  pretty  important  error. 

I  think  I  shall  be  at  Portsmouth,  but  am  not  absolutely  cer 
tain.  If  I  can  go  without  a  good  deal  of  sacrifice,  I  will  present 
myself.  I  will  write  you  again  on  this  point.  Mrs.  Webster 
must  put  off  her  journey  to  another  occasion,  on  account  of  my 
expected  detention.  She  acquiesces  in  this  the  more  cheerfully, 
as  she  expects  the  pleasure,  of  seeing  Mrs.  Mason  this  way  soon. 

Ever  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 
(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  August  17,  1820. 
DEAR  EZEKIEL, — 

******* 

As  to  a  president,  I  have  weighed  the  subject  very  much  in 
my  own  mind,  and  conversed  on  it  on  every  occasion  with  the 
friends  of  the  college.  My  mind  is  not  made  up  in  favor  of  any 
candidate.  The  gentleman  whom  you  and  I  thought  most  of 
when  I  saw  you,  is  not,  I  fear,  in  all  respects  the  most  eligible. 
I  learn  that  he  has  not  much  energy  of  character,  and  as  to 
scholarship,  not  more  than  respectable.  And  if  as  much  fitness 
for  the  office  could  be  found  in  a  man  ten  years  younger,  it 
would  be  much  better.  The  more  I  think  of  it,  the  more  I  in 
cline  to  a  younger  man.  At  fifty,  not  enough  of  life  remains  to 
acquire  much ;  whereas  at  thirty  or  thirty-five  a  man  is  young 
enough  to  form  himself  to  be  president.  I  cannot  yet  fix  on 
any  body.  Mr.  Spring  of  New  York,  son  of  the  late  Dr.  Spring, 
has  been  mentioned  by  some.  I  think  Mr.  Lord's  fitness  should 
be  considered.  On  the  whole,  my  opinion  at  present  is,  that 
you  should  fill  up  the  board,  and  postpone  the  appointment  of 
president  for  the  present. 

I  have  been  industrious  to  collect  the  opinion  of  our  best  and 
most  intelligent  friends  in  Essex,  and  it  seems  to  be  against  the 
appointment  which  you  contemplated  as  most  probable.  I  am 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  3^3 

willing  you  should  show  this  letter  to  Mr.  Thompson,  Mr. 
March,  and  Mr.  Payson,  or  other  friends.  The  trustees  can  in 
quire  and  correspond  through  the  autumn,  on  this  important 
subject,  and  when  they  come  to  a  conclusion,  a  quorum  can 
meet,  and  make  the  appointment. 

I  hope,  therefore,  you  will  on  all  accounts  take  further  time. 
It  is  not  only  an  important  question,  so  far  as  the  college  itself 
is  concerned,  but  it  is  of  importance  also,  generally,  to  show 
that  a  college  not  under  legislative  control  can  flourish.  I 
believe  I  may  say  that  all  our  friends  this  way  recommend 
further  consideration. 

As  to  the  LL.  D.,  I  thought  best  to  speak  directly  to  the 
gentleman  concerned.  I  saw  him  day  before  yesterday,  and  he 
thinks  so  recent  are  certain  things,  that  a  compliment  of  that 
sort  to  him  had  better  be  deferred  to  next  year.  I  told  him  I 
would  give  you  this  hint.  I  am,  on  the  whole,  of  the  same 
opinion. 

I  hope  your  board  will  remember  Mr.  Wood.  He  at  least 
deserves  well  of  the  college,  having  sent  a  hundred  of  us,  such 
as  we  are,  to  be  educated  in  it. 

[The  remainder  of  the  letter  is  wanting.] 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Philadelphia;  January  3,  1821. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  not  content  to  wait  till  I  get  to  Wash 
ington,  without  giving  you  some  account  of  myself  and  my 
travels.  I  left  Boston  in  the  mail  stage-coach  Saturday  noon 
the  29th,  with  Mr.  Perkins,  T.  Parsons,  and  William  Gardiner. 
We  kept  with  the  mail  to  New  Haven,  where  we  found  our 
selves  Sunday,  3  o'clock.  Here  we  remained  through  that  day, 
and  finding  an  accommodation  stage-coach  going  the  next  day 
to  New  York,  we  took  it  to  ourselves,  and  reached  that  city 
early  the  evening  of  the  same  day.  From  New  York  we  came 
hither  in  a  new  line  of  stage-coaches,  called  the  Union  line, 
which  we  are  bound  to  speak  well  of.  It  gave  us  a  whole 
coacli  for  forty  dollars,  and  allowed  us  to  take  our  own  hours. 

VOL.  i.  27 


314  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

We  left  New  York  at  three  or  four  o'clock  Tuesday  afternoon, 
lodged  at  New  Brunswick,  and  arrived  here  to  dine  Wednesday, 
yesterday.  Our  journey  was  safe  and  expeditious.  I  men 
tion  these  circumstances  for  your  benefit,  knowing  that  in  three 
weeks  you  are  to  be  on  our  track,  although  I  am  well  aware 
that  Mrs.  Story  would  scold  me,  if  she  could  scold,  for  ad 
verting  to  such  a  disagreeable  topic. 

Everybody  is  in  expectation  here  of  receiving  your  opinion  in 
the  case  of  "  The  Young  Eugenie."  It  must  come  out,  and  that 
soon.  I  beg  you  to  tell  Mason  either  to  publish  it  at  once  in  u 
pamphlet,  or  to  let  Hale  publish  it  in  the  paper.  I  last  evening 
referred  some  gentlemen  to  the  case  of  "  The  Amedie,  which  they 
had  overlooked.  In  relation  to  this  case  of  The  Amedie,"  I  was 
very  negligent,  which  I  confess  with  shame.  I  quoted  it  only 
from  the  note  in  Dodson ;  whereas  the  whole  case  is  in  Acton, 
and  there  is  there  one  pretty  strong  expression  of  Sir  W.  Grant, 
not  found  in  the  note  in  Dodson.  I  mention  this  lest  my  un 
pardonable  negligence  may  have  misled  you ;  for  not  hearing 
your  judgment,  I  do  not  know  whether  you  cited  the  case  as 
from  Acton.  I  think  Judge  Davis's  suggestion,  of  publishing 
with  the  opinion  a  summary  of  the  English  cases,  a  very  good 
one.  Here  I  find  Hopkinson  up  to  his  neck  in  business.  He 
seems  to  have  stepped  right  off  into  deep  water.  He  has  an 
interesting  charter  case,  in  which  he  says  he  made  some  use  of 
a  little  bit  of  an  opinion  about  Dartmouth  College. 

Adieu,  my  dear  Sir;  I  shall  write  you  again  from  Washington, 
where  I  hope  also  to  hear  from  you. 

I  am,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  yours  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  June  17,  1821. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  have  received  yours  of  Friday.  Mr.  Olcott 
wrote  me  on  this  same  subject  of  the  overseers.  I  am  very 
doubtful  whether  any  good  would  come  of  the  project.  Who 
would  the  Board  be  ?  Every  thing  depends  on  that.  It  would 
be  injurious,  I  think,  to  propose  to  take  this  important  altera-  , 
tion  in  the  charter  before  the  ground  was  well  explored,  and 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  315 

some   security   obtained    that    the   concession    should   not  be 
abused. 

On  the  whole,  it  strikes  me  that  the  project,  so  far  as  it  re 
lates  to  getting  money,  is  impracticable,  and  the  whole  of  it  not 
without  danger. 

I  hope  to  be  able  to  leave  here  about  the  25th.  It  depends 
on  the  adjournment  of  the  court,  which  is  still  sitting,  and  I 
know  not  exactly  when  to  expect  its  adjournment. 

Your  governor  seems  to  have  made  a  pretty  good  speech ; 
certainly  better  than  the  average  of  such  things.  He  talks 
against  false  economy  very  justly,  and  as  if  he  had  never  shared 
in  the  benefit  derived  from  the  currency  of  opposite  sentiments. 
I  think  you  will  have  a  pleasant  session.  Your  house  has  good 
men  enough  in  it  to  prevent  great  mischief,  even  if  you  shall 
not  effect  much  positive  good ;  and  it  is  a  great  thing,  now 
adays,  to  keep  things  from  growing  worse. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

Boston,  July  9,  1821. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  think  this  No.i  exceedeth  all  its  predecessors  in 
glory.  I  have  read  three  articles.  1.  Yours,  in  answer  to  the 
new  magazine,  of  which  I  do  most  honestly  admire  both  the 
right  spirit  and  the  able  execution.  2.  Florida,  by  which  I 
am  greatly  edified  and  instructed.  3.  St.  Pierre,  which  is  a 
very  entertaining  romance. 

I  verily  think  we  have  had  nothing  so  good  as  this  number. 
Sic  itur  ad  astra. 

Thine,  D.  WEBSTER. 

1  The  number  of  the  North  American  Review  for  July,  1821. 


316  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Boston,  September  24,  1821. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  happy  to  hear  that  you  are  coming  up 
to-morrow,  to  dine  with  the  commodore.  Mr.  Baker,  the  British 
consul-general,  is  in  town.  He  called  on  me  to-day,  and  ex 
pressed  a  wish  to  see  you.  I  have  invited  him  to  pass  an  hour 
with  me  to-morrow  evening,  and  have  promised  him  your  com 
pany  ;  and  he  has  accepted,  on  the  strength  of  that  promise. 

Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  bring  up  with  you  the  last 
Dodson.  I  wish  to  look  at  the  recent  case  about  the  slave- 
trade.  I  very  much  fear  my  Lord  Stowell  has  missed  a  figure. 
However,  I  suppose,  as  usual,  he  has  given  plausible  reasons. 

We  shall  have  some  interesting  questions  here  on  this  subject, 
and  that  shortly. 

Very  truly  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  am  greatly  delighted  at  this  notion  of  going  to 
Worcester.  I  know  nothing  of  that  county,  where  so  many 
venues  were  laid,  and  I  think  we  shall  meet  some  good  men. 
Bainbridge  means  to  go  with  us. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  October  4,  1821. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  like  your  project  of  a  course  of  proceeding 
for  the  trustees  very  much.  I  have  no  doubt  something  like 
that  would  be  very  judicious.  I  think  it  of  great  importance 
that  you  should  come  down  here  before  you  go  to  Hanover,  if 
you  can  possibly.  Judge  Story  and  Mr.  Mason  wih1  probably 
both  be  here  on  the  loth,  and  they  both  feel  a  strong  wish  that 
the  Board  should  take  a  right  course.  If  you  can  possibly  come, 
I  hope  you  will,  in  the  stage-coach  on  Saturday,  the  13th.  I 
have  no  doubt,  by  putting  all  our  heads  together,  we  can  do 
something.  I  would  go  up  and  see  you  if  it  were  not  almost 
impossible,  and  if  it  were  not  much  more  advantageous  that 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  317 

you  should  be  here,  where  you  can  confer  with  many  others. 
Please  let  me  hear,  by  the  earliest  mail,  whether  you  can  probably 
•>me. 

Yours  affectionately, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Boston,  November  7,  1821. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  am  puzzled  to  know  how  the  law  stands  re 
specting  appeals  in  equity  cases,  from  circuit  court  to  supreme 
court  by  defendants.  Must  the  defendant  in  all  cases  give  bond 
to  fulfil  the  final  decree  ?  I  know  not  what  construction  to  put, 
in  this  respect,  on  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  March  3,  1803. 
On  looking  to  the  only  case  of  the  kind  in  which  I  have  been 
concerned,  namely,  Oilman  v.  Brown,  I  find  no  such  bond  given. 
When  you  have  read  this,  will  you  say  in  two  words,  how  it  is  ? 
I  suppose  it  is  somewhere  settled.  A  line  this  afternoon  or 
to-morrow  morning  will  greatly  oblige 

Your  often  obliged, 

D.  W. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  Sunday  evening,  [1821.] 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — Judge  Story  has  written  a  letter  to  Judge 
Paine.  I  enclose  it  by  this  mail,  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Olcott. 
Mr.  Mason  has  not  been  here,  but  is  expected  on  Tuesday.  I 
had  a  good  deal  of  conversation  with  him  in  the  summer,  on  the 
subject  of  the  college,  and  I  have  no  doubt  he  agrees  with  the  rest 
of  us,  who  think  the  safe  way  is  to  proceed  very  slowly,  in  rela 
tion  to  the  next  appointment.  My  own  opinion  is  most  de 
cidedly  in  favor  of  postponing  any  choice  till  next  spring.  I  will 
thank  you  to  mention  that  such  is  my  opinion  to  Mr.  March 
and  Mr.  Payson.  We  can  lose  no  great  advantage  by  delay, 
and  a  better  choice  can  in  all  probability  be  made.  I  assure  you 
it  is  the  universal  sense  of  all  the  friends  of  the  college  here 
27* 


318  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

whom  I  have  spoken  with,  and  I.  have  spoken  with  many,  that 
the  prudent  course  is  to  put  off  the  appointment. 

I  shall  be  particularly  anxious  to  know  the  result  of  your 
meeting. 

Affectionately  yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


PRESIDENT    JOHN    ADAMS    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Montezillo,  December  23,  1821. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  thank  you  for  your  discourse,  delivered  at  Plym 
outh  on  the  termination  of  the  second  century  of  the  landing 
of  our  forefathers.  Unable  to  read  it,  from  defect  of  sight,  it 
was  last  night  read  to  me,  by  our  friend  Shaw.  The  fullest 
justice  that  I  could  do  it,  would  be  to  transcribe  it  at  full  length. 
It  is  the  effort  of  a  great  mind,  richly  stored  with  every  species 
of  information.  If  there  be  an  American  who  can  read  it  with 
out  tears,  I  am  not  that  American.  It  enters  more  perfectly 
into  the  genuine  spirit  of  New  England,  than  any  production  I 
ever  read.  The  observations  on  the  Greeks  and  Romans ;  on 
colonization  in  general ;  on  the  West  India  Islands ;  on  the  past, 
present,  and  future  in  America,  and  on  the  slave-trade,  are 
sagacious,  profound,  and  affecting  in  a  high  degree. 

Mr.  Burke  is  no  longer  entitled  to  the  praise — the  most  con 
summate  orator  of  modern  times. 

What  can  I  say  of  what  regards  myself?  To  my  humble 
name,  "  Exegisti  monumentum  cere  perennius" 

This  oration  will  be  read  five  hundred  years  hence,  with  as 
much  rapture  as  it  was  heard.  It  ought  to  be  read  at  the  end 
of  every  century,  and  indeed  at  the  end  of  every  year,  for  ever 
and  ever. 

I  am,  Sir,  with  the  profoundest  esteem,  your  obliged  friend, 
and  very  humble  servant, 

JOHN  ADAMS. 

The  Honorable  Daniel  Webster. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  319 


CHANCELLOR    KENT    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Albany,  December  29,  1821. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Be  pleased  to  accept  my  thanks  for  the  receipt 
and  perusal  of  your  Plymouth  discourse,  which  came  by  yester 
day's  mail.  The  reflections,  the  sentiments,  the  morals,  the 
patriotism,  the  eloquence,  the  imagination  of  this  admirable  pro 
duction  are  exactly  what  I  anticipated ;  elevated,  just,  and  true. 
I  think  it  is  also  embellished  by  a  style  distinguished  for  purity, 
taste,  and  simplicity.  Excuse  me  for  this  once,  and  I  will  not 
trespass  in  this  manner  again.  I  am  proud  to  be  able  to  trace  my 
own  lineage  back  to  the  Pilgrims  of  New  England,  and  prouder 
still  that  I  have  been  thought  deserving  of  the  esteem  and  friend 
ship  of  some  of  the  brightest  of  their  descendants. 

Permit  Mrs.  Kent  and  me  to  unite  in  presenting  our  best 
respects,  and  the  compliments  of  the  season,  to  Mrs.  Webster, 
and  be  assured  of  the  constant  esteem  and  regard  of  your  friend 
and  most  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  KENT. 

Honorable  D.  Webster. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.   JUSTICE    STORY. 

Washington,  January  14,  1822. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  yours  of  the 
3th,  which  I  have  just  received.  I  came  on  very  safe  and  sound, 
id  am  lodged  comfortably,  but  not  on  the  Capitol  Hill ;  which, 
for  some  reasons,  I  regret.  I  learn  that  somebody  has  made 
irovision  for  the  court  at,  or  near,  the  old  spot.  I  will,  however, 
?peak  to  Mr.  Caldwell. 

There  is  much  stir  and  buzz  about  Presidential  candidates 
lere.  Mr.  Clay's  friends  are  certainly  numerous;  whether  it 
because  his  is  the  most  recent  nomination,  or  for  what 
other  reason,  the  fact  is  he  is  just  now  much  talked  about.  I 
think  it  will  be  a  busy  winter,  in  talking  and  electioneering. 
My  own  opinion  is,  but  I  would  not  intimate  it  to  others,  that 


320  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Mr.  Clay  considers  himself  a  candidate,  and  means  to  run  the 
race.     More  hereafter  on  these  subjects. 

Mr.  Hopkinson  desired  me  to  beseech  you  to  give  him  a  day, 
as  you  come  on.  I  promised  him  to  write  you,  and  mention  his 
request.  He  wishes  much  to  see  you,  and  to  give  some  of  his 
friends  that  pleasure.  If,  on  your  arrival,  you  contrive  to  send 
him  notice,  to  No.  196,  Chestnut  street,  he  will  esteem  it  a  great 
favor. 

I  am  glad  your  opinion  is  coming  out.     It  is  much  asked  for. 

Mr.  Johnson  of  Kentucky,  has  to-day,  I  learn,  made  a  long 
speech  in  favor  of  his  proposed  amendment.  He  has  dealt,  they 
say,  pretty  freely  with  the  supreme  court.  Dartmouth  College, 
Sturgis  and  Crowninshield,  et  cetera,  have  all  been  demolished. 
To-morrow  he  is  to  pull  to  pieces  the  case  of  the  Kentucky  bet 
terment  law.  Then  Governor  Barber  is  to  annihilate  Cohens  v. 
Virginia.  So  things  go ;  but  I  see  less  reality  in  all  this  smoke 
than  I  thought  I  should,  before  I  came  here. 

I  hope  you  will  call  and  see  my  wife,  and  my  boys,  what  few 
there  are  of  them  ;  not  forgetting  Miss  Julia. 

Give  my  love  to  Mrs.  Story,  and  believe  me,  most  truly 

Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Washington,  August  6,  1822. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — This  gentleman,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gurley,  comes 
recommended  by  our  friends  at  the  South,  on  the  subject  of  the 
Colonization  Society.  He  has  with  him  some  very  interesting 
publications  of  the  African  Institution  in  London,  as  well  as 
the  reports  of  the  society  here,  and  appears  to  be  a  very  agree 
able  and  intelligent  man. 

I  feel  inclined  to  do  whatever  duty  requires  on  this  subject. 
You  know  that  my  opinion  has  not  been  the  most  favorable,  and 
yet  I  would  wish  to  pay  proper  deference  to  such  excellent 
men  as  Judge  Washington  and  Mr.  Kay. 

Mr.  Gurley  will  probably  be  in  this  neighborhood  till  Com 
mencement,  and  if  you  think  it  proper  that  some  bread  should 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  321 

be  cast  on  the  waters  in  this  case,  I  am  willing  to  follow  the 
example. 

While  I  cannot,  conscientiously,  very  confidently  recommend 
the  cause  of  this  society  as  being  a  great  attainable  good,  I  am 
still  willing  to  confide  in  those  good  men, who  have  more  confi 
dence,  so  far  as  to  contribute  my  own  little  mite  to  the  object  in 
view. 

At  any  rate,  my  dear  Sir,  you  have  discharged  your  duty  be 
fore  God  and  man,  on  the  subject  of  African  slavery ;  and  you 
must  not  be  surprised  if  more  should  be  expected  from  him  who 
has  done  so  much  and  so  admirably. 

With  perpetual  regard,  dear  Sir, 

Yours,  DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


COLONEL    PERKINS    AND    OTHERS    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 
[Mr.  Webster's  first  nomination  to  Congress  from  Massachusetts.] 

Boston,  October  18,  1822. 

DEAR  SIR, — We,  the  undersigned,  having  been  chosen  at  a 
meeting  of  delegates  from  all  the  wards,  held  at  Concert  Hall 
on  Thursday  evening  last,  a  committee  to  acquaint  you,  that  at 
that  meeting  you  were  unanimously  selected  to  be  recom 
mended  to  the  support  of  their  fellow-citizens,  to  represent  the 
District  of  Suffolk,  in  the  next  Congress  of  the  United  States ; 
and  having  been,  by  your  absence  from  town,  unable  to  wait 
upon  you  personally,  have  the  pleasure  to  address  you,  to  com 
municate  the  above  fact ;  and  we  beg  you  to  be  assured,  that  in 
the  performance  of  this  duty  we  experience  a  peculiar  satisfac 
tion,  which  will  be  greatly  enhanced  by  the  knowledge  of  your 
consent  to  conform,  upon  this  occasion,  to  the  wishes  of  your 
friends,  in  the  number  of  which  we  hope  to  be  considered,  and 
with  the  highest  respect  and  esteem  remain, 
Your  obedient  servants, 

T.  H.  PERKINS, 

WM.  SULLIVAN, 


BENJ.  RUSSELL, 

WM.  STURGIS, 

J.  W.  T.  APTHORP, 


Committee. 


322  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.   JUSTICE    STORY. 

Boston,  November  13,  1822. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  went  to  Salem  yesterday  rather  unexpectedly ; 
a  cause  in  which  I  was  concerned  having  been  called  on.  I 
found  myself  too  unwell  to  try  it,  and  so  got  delay,  and  returned 
last  night.  I  feel  pretty  well  while  I  am  quiet  and  keep  house, 
but  I  am  not  able  to  make  any  effort  without  pain,  and  renew 
ing  a  half  feverish  feeling.  My  wish  now  is  to  remain  at  home 
till  Saturday,  go  on  that  day  to  Providence,  and  I  believe  I 
shall  take  my  wife  with  me,  and  get  well  enough,  if  I  can,  to 
try  the  Gold  cause  on  Monday.  I  am  afraid,  however,  that 
parties  will  be  prepared  on  Friday,  and  that,  on  account  of  the 
number  of  witnesses,  any  delay  will  be  inconvenient.  In  this 
case  the  cause  must  go  on  without  me. 

I  am  desirous  to  see  you  as  you  pass  along  to-morrow,  and 
the  particular  object  of  this  is  to  inquire,  at  what  time  and  what 
place  I  may  hope  to  find  you  in  this  town  to-morrow.  The 
bearer  will  take  your  answer,  and  bring  it  to  me. 

I  saw  Dr.  Warren  on  my  return  last  evening,  and  he  has  put 
me  on  a  regimen  for  three  days  with  medicine,  &c.  I  hate  all 
physic. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  March  25,  1823. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  am  detained  here  still  by  the  affairs  of  the 
Commission,  and  do  not  expect  to  leave  before  ten  or  fifteen 
days.  It  is  our  expectation  to  go  to  Dorchester  for  the  summer, 
and  I  intend  to  move  the  second  day  of  May.  Soon  after  that 
I  hope  you  will  come  down,  as  I  shall  want  to  see  you  very 
much  on  more  accounts  than  one. 

You  have  accomplished  a  great  affair  in  New  Hampshire.  I 
know  not  whether  it  is  a  triumph,  but  it  is  at  least  a  change, 
and  for  the  present  it  seems  for  the  better.  I  have  seen  the 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  323 

returns,  and  it  is  clear  enough  which  way  the  Federal  votes 
went. 

As  to  the  great  Presidential  question,  my  opinion  is,  that  it 
was  never  more  uncertain  than  now  who  will  succeed.  It  is 
time  to  prepare  public  opinion  in  our  quarter,  for  certain  con 
tingencies  which  may  arise. 

Who  would  New  Hampshire  be  for,  in  your  opinion,  if  it 
were  certain  that  Mr.  Adams  would  not  succeed,  or  who  would 
she  prefer  next  to  him  ?  I  wish  you  would  write  me  an  answer 
to  this  question,  with  or  without  the  reasons  on  which  your 
opinion  rests,  so  as  to  reach  me  here  by  the  tenth  or  twelfth  of 
April.  This  can  be  done,  if  you  will  sit  right  down  to  it,  on 
receipt  of  this.  I  would  thank  you  also  to  express  your  own 
preference. 

Yours  always, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  You  wiU  probably  hear  from  Portsmouth  soon,  on 
another  subject. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

April  3,  1823. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — I  received  yours  this  morning.  Of  all  the 
candidates  named  for  the  Presidency,  the  people  of  New  Hamp 
shire  would  undoubtedly  prefer  Mr.  Adams.  Mr.  Adams  being 
out  of  the  question,  I  think  Mr.  Calhoun  would  be  their  choice. 
I  think  neither  Jackson,  Crawford,  nor  Clay  could  ever  obtain 
the  votes  of  this  State.  They  would  prefer  to  have  a  Northern 
man  for  the  President,  and  I  think  would  vote  for  Mr.  Clinton, 
if  there  should  be  any  prospect  of  his  being  chosen.  It  seems 
to  me  there  is  among  us  a  pretty  strong  local  feeling,  something 
like  a  very  general  wish  that  the  next  President  should  be  from 
the  North.  There  is  a  kind  of  presentiment  that,  after  this 
election,  we  may  give  up  all  further  expectation. 

Of  all  the  persons  named  I  reply  Calhoun.  Yet,  if  a  promi 
nent  man  from  New  England,  New  York,  or  Pennsylvania 
should  be  put  in  nomination  against  him,  I  think  he  would 
)btain  the  electoral  vote. 


324  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Consulting  my  own  feelings  and  wishes  at  this  time,  I  should 
put  the  candidates  in  this  order,  Adams,  Calhoun,  Clinton.  I 
am,  however,  very  incompetent  to  judge  correctly  of  their  quali 
fications. 

For  the  time  we  had  to  labor  we  did  something.  Every 
department  of  the  government  will  be  what  is  called  here  anti- 
Hill.  Some  good  will  result  from  the  change,  not  immediately 
perhaps,  but  in  time. 

The  result  of  the  election  was  one  of  the  most  unexpected, 
and  yet  one  of  the  most  natural  events  that  could  be  imagined. 
Here  is  a  paradox,  I  give  no  more. 

I  intend  to  be  in  Boston  the  3d  day  of  May,  as  I  have 
some  engagements  after  the  10th  that  will  require  me  to  be  at 
home. 

Yours  affectionately, 

EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Washington,  April  10,  1823. 

DEAR  SIR, — Mr.  John  D.  Williams  of  Boston  informs  me 
that  he  has  written  requesting  you  to  go  to  Portland,  at  the 
Circuit  Court,  and  argue  his  cause  against  Mr.  Reed.  I  hope 
you  will  be  able  to  go.  He  is  a  very  worthy  man,  and  an 
exceeding  good  client.  He  will  satisfy  you  well ;  and  his  case 
you  will  easily  understand.  Mr.  Greenleaf,  who  is  in  the  cause 
for  the  plaintiff,  Williams,  is  a  very  correct  and  able  lawyer  of 
his  age,  and  will  have  the  case  duly  prepared.  It  is  a  case  of 
some  importance  and  some  expectation ;  and  I  would  not  for  a 
good  deal,  as  we  say,  that  any  thing  should  prevent  your  atten 
tion  to  it.  I  cannot  be  home  in  season  to  rest  and  then  go  to 
Portland.  I  have  no  other  engagements  there,  and  do  not 
intend  practising  in  that  court.  You  are  sixty  miles  nearer  the 
court  than  I  am,  and  I  am  sure  you  would  find  it  much  to  yc 
advantage  to  attend  regularly. 

When  you  see  Judge  Story,  ask  him  to  show  you  a  let 
which  I  wrote  him  about  the  appointment  of  a  judge. 

I  grow  very  anxious  to  get  home.     The  commissioners 
here  yet,  and  will  remain  probably  ten  days  longer. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER.  325 

I  have  got  through  the  bulk  of  all  the  cases  committed  to  my 
care,  and  hope  now  to  have  a  little  repose.  I  shall  be  ready  for 
any  scheme  of  play  which  you  can  get  up. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Boston,  May  12,  1823. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — It  will  give  us  great  pleasure  to  go  to  Ports 
mouth,  especially  in  company  with  you  and  Mrs.  Story.  I 
believe  there  is  very  little  to  do  in  the  Circuit  Court,  For  my 
self  1  have  next  to  nothing.  There  will  probably  be  one  capital 
trial,  as  I  learn  from  Mr.  Blake,  which  he  thinks  must  be  post 
poned  for  a  short  time  from  the  commencement  of  the  court ; 
so  that  on  the  whole  there  will  probably  be  no  inconvenience  in 
adjourning  the  court  over  next  week. 

I  never  felt  more  down  sick  on  all  subjects  connected  with 
the  public,  than  at  the  present  moment.  I  have  heretofore 
cherished  a  faint  hope  that  New  England  would  some  time  or 
other  get  out  of  this  miserable,  dirty  squabble  of  local  politics, 
and  assert  her  proper  character  and  consequence.  But  I  at 
length  give  up.  I  feel  the  hand  of  fate  upon  us,  and  to  struggle 
is  in  vain.  We  are  doomed  to  be  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers 
of  water ;  and  I  am  prepared,  henceforth,  to  do  my  part  of  the 
drudgery,  without  hoping  for  an  end.  You  know  I  am  not 
disappointed  at  the  result  of  the  election  for  governor.  My 
"  agony "  was  over  before  the  election  took  place,  for  I  never 
doubted  the  result.  Indeed,  on  the  grounds  on  which  the  con 
troversy  was  placed,  I  could  have  enjoyed  the  triumph  of 
neither  party.  What  has  sickened  me  beyond  remedy  is  the 
tone  and  temper  of  these  disputes.  We  are  disgraced  beyond 
help  or  hope  by  these  things.  There  is  a  Federal  interest,  a 
Democratic  interest,  a  Bankrupt  interest,  an  Orthodox  interest, 
and  a  Middling  interest,  but  I  see  no  national  interest,  nor  any 
national  feeling  in  the  whole  matter. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  your  true  but  despairing  friend, 

D.  WEBSTER. 
VOL.  i  28 


i 


326  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MISS    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Columbia,  May  29,  1823. 

SIR, — You  have  probably  before  this  time  entirely  forgotten 
that  you  ever  had  an  acquaintance  by  the  name  of  Fanny.  It 
is  a  long  time  since  I  have  heard  any  thing  of  you.  I  lately,  by 
accident,  heard  that  you  were  settled  in  Boston,  and'in  affluence. 
Very  different  is  my  situation.  I  live  in  this  town  with  my 
aged  parents,  who  are  unable  to  do  any  thing  towards  support 
ing  themselves.  I  have  one  sister ;  we  have  nothing  but  our 
hands  to  support  our  parents  and  a  helpless  brother.  As  a  help 
towards  doing  this,  I  took  an  orphan  child  under  my  care.  I 
was  to  receive  six  dollars  per  month  for  board  and  tuition ;  I 
have  kept  the  child  two  years,  and  received  but  forty  dollars, 
and  have  no  expectation  of  ever  receiving  more.  His  guardian 
has  failed  and  fled  to  parts  unknown.  I  agreed  with  a  merchant 
in  this  vicinity  for  some  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  expecting  to 
receive  payment  quarterly,  and  pay  it  to  him  ;  he  now  calls 
loudly  for  his  pay,  and  I  have  nothing  to  pay  with ;  I  expect 
he  will  take  the  steps  of  the  law ;  in  that  case  you  know  how 
dreadful  would  be  the  situation  of  a  poor  defenceless  female.  I 
can  do  nothing  towards  paying  the  debt  unless  some  of  my  rich 
friends  will  help  me.  The  debt  due  to  me  is  about  eighty 
dollars,  and  the  debt  which  I  owe  about  fifty  dollars.  Should 
you  feel  able  and  willing  to  bestow  some  pecuniary  assistance, 
you  will  please  to  send  by  mail.  I  live  in  Columbia,  Brooklyn 
County,  Connecticut.  Should  you  not  find  it  convenient  to 
assist  me,  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  of  your  health  and  happiness 
and  that  of  your  dear  ones.  If  you  could  make  it  convenient 
to  answer  this  the  first  mail  after  receiving  it,  you  would  much 
oblige 

Your  unfortunate  friend. 

P.  S.  Where  is  Hervey  Bingham,  and  what  is  his  situa 
tion  ?  Do  you  correspond  with  him  ?  Perhaps  you  would  be 
willing  to  state  my  condition  to  him.  My  great  anxiety  to  do 
all  in  my  power  to  render  the  few  remaining  days  of  my  parents 
in  some  measure  comfortable,  is  all  the  apology  I  can  offer  for 
thus  troubling  you. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BINGHAM. 

Boston,  June  9,  1823. 

DEAR  BINGHAM, — I  this  morning  received  this  from  OUT  old 
acquaintance.  I  have  never  heard  of  her  before,  since  we  left 
college.  She  seems  to  be  in  want  and  trouble.  I  have  sent  her 
a  little  money,  and,  according  to  her  request,  enclose  the  letter 
to  you. 

You  seem  to  have  given  up  the  good  custom  of  an  annual 
visit  this  way.  We  should  be  very  glad  to  see  you  and  your 
wife.  Yours  always, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

Boston,  November,  1823. 

I  AM  sure,  my  dear  Sir,  Lord  Coke  never  looked  so  gay  be 
fore  ; 1  but  this  is  only  another  proof  how  much  the  most  obsolete 
subjects  are  improved  in  passing  through  your  hands.  I  shall 
certainly  cultivate  his  acquaintance  in  some  interval  or  intermis 
sion  of  the  Waverley  Novels,  and  will  hereafter  tell  you  what  I 
think  of  him.  For  the  present  accept  my  thanks. 

It  will  rejoice  my  heart  that  you  should  come  to  Washington. 
If  nobody  does  it  who  can  do  it  better,  I  shall  certainly  say 
something  of  the  Greeks-.  The  miserable  issue  of  the  Spanish 
Revolution  makes  the  Greek  cause  more  interesting,  and  I  be 
gin  to  think  they  have  character  enough  to  carry  them  through 
the  contest  with  success.  Let  me  know  when  you  are  coming 
to  Washington,  and  in  the  mean  time  let  me  hear  from  you. 
You  cannot  do  me  so  great  a  favor  as  to  suggest  to  me  any 
thoughts  that  occur  respecting  matters  and  things  in  general. 
Adieu,  yours  always, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

*  A  set  of  Lord  Coke's  Reports. 


328  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

New  York,  November  16,  1823. 

I  have  found  leisure  here,  and  not  until  now,  to  read  your  ad 
mirable  article  *  on  the  Greeks.  Since  I  left  Boston,  also,  we 
have  had  important  information  from  them.  I  feel  a  great 
inclination  to  say  or  do  something  in  their  behalf  early  in  the 
session,  if  I  know  what  to  say  or  to  do.  If  you  can  readily 
direct  me  to  any  source  from  which  I  can  obtain  more  informa 
tion  than  is  already  public  respecting  their  affairs,  I  would  be 
obliged  to  you  so  to  do. 

I  have  not  yet  seen  Wheaton,  nor  other  wise  men  of  Man 
hattan.  Yours  always, 

D.  W. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Princeton,  November  20,  1823. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  left  New  York  yesterday,  having  remained 
there  two  or  three  days,  which  was  long  enough  to  learn  the 
strange  confusion  and  division  of  opinion  which  exists  there  in 
relation  to  prominent  public  subjects.  It  seems  to  be  generally 
believed  that  Mr.  Crawford's  friends  have  no  longer  any  reason 
able  hope  of  success  in  that  State.  This  point  being  agreed, 
every  thing  else  is  controverted.  I  was  altogether  astonished  at 
the  confidence  which  the  friends  of  Mr.  Clinton  expressed,  of  their 
ability  to  secure  to  him  the  votes  of  that  State.  It  is  certain 
that  his  popularity  has  experienced  a  sudden  and  most  extra 
ordinary  revival,  so  much  so  as  to  inspire  unlimited  expecta 
tions.  The  canal  has  done  this.  It  is  said  also,  with  great  con 
fidence,  that  Ohio  is  better  inclined  towards  Mr.  Clinton  than 
any  body  else.  On  the  other  hand,  the  friends  of  Mr.  Adams, 
Mr.  Calhoun,  and  Mr.  Clay,  say  that  although  Mr.  Clinton  may 
be  gaining  strength,  it  is  impossible  he  can  obtain  the  votes  of 
New  York,  and  impossible  at  all  events  that  he  can  be  Presi 
dent.  The  friends  of  Mr.  Calhoun,  especially,  regret  that  Mr. 
Clinton  should  be  brought  forward,  apprehending  it  may  have 

1  North  American  Review,  October,  1823. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  329 

the  effect  of  reuniting  the  fragments  of  the  old  republican  party  r 
in  favor  of  Mr.  Crawford,  through  the  operation  of  strong  feel 
ings  of  dislike  towards  Mr.  Clinton.  As  far  as  I  could  under 
stand,  the  friends  of  these  two  gentlemen  in  that  State  are 
inclined  to  no  mutual  hostilities,  but  willing  to  leave  public 
sentiment  as  between  those  two  to  declare  itself. 

In  the  mean  time  it  is  thought  Mr.  Adams  has  a  very  large, 
though  not  an  increasing  number  of  friends.  I  should  not  be  at 
all  surprised  if  the  reaction,  which  has  begun  evidently  to  take 
place  in  Mr.  Clinton's  favor,  together  with  the  canal  and  other 
local  considerations,  should  give  him  the  State.  It  seems  un 
doubted  that  the  legislature,  which  assembles  in  January,  will 
send  the  election  to  the  people,  on  a  general  ticket,  and  then, 
I  presume  the  friends  of  the  parties  will  array  themselves. 
Many  of  the  Federalists  in  the  western  district,  it  is  supposed, 
favor  Mr.  Adams ;  otherwise,  in  the  city  and  its  neighborhood. 

This  State  of  New  Jersey  is  thought  likely  enough  to  be  in 
favor  of  Mr.  Calhoun,  unless  it  should  be  inundated  by  an  over 
flow  of  Mr.  Clinton's  popularity  from  New  York. 

We  have  got  along  thus  far  without  accident,  and  shall  re 
sume  our  journey  immediately. 

Yours,  affectionately, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Washington,  November  30,  [1823.] 

DEAR  SIR, — We  arrived  here  on  Wednesday  evening  safe  and 
well,  after  a  journey  which,  on  the  whole,  was  pleasant  and 
agreeable.  Our  lodgings  were  ready  and  are  very  comfortable. 
The  attendance  of  members  is  uncommonly  large,  and  we 
shall  have  a  quorum,  no  doubt,  to-morrow.  Mr.  Clay  arrived 
last  evening.  He  will  doubtless  be  Speaker,  although  I  under 
stood  Mr.  Barbour's  friends  intend  to  run  him.  It  will  not  go. 
Mr.  Clay's  popularity  as  Speaker  is  great,  and  he  is  in  many 
respects  a  liberal  and  honorable  man.  His  health  is  not  good, 
but  I  fancy  not  so  bad  as  to  induce  him  to  decline  the  chair. 

Although  I  think  him  tolerably  liberal,  and  not  unfriendly  in 
his  general  feeling,  yet  I  do  not  suppose  that,  in  the  organization 
28* 


330  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

and  arrangement  of  the  affairs  of  the  House,  he  will  venture  to 
disregard  old  lines  of  distinction. 

Mr.  King  has  arrived,  but  I  have  not  seen  him.  Both  your 
senators  are  here. 

I  have  not  seen  much  here  yet  to  add  to  my  stock  of  knowl 
edge  on  the  subject  of  the  Presidential  election.  It  looks  to  me, 
however,  at  present,  as  if  it  might  happen  that  Mr.  Crawford 
would  ere  long  be  given  up,  and  his  friends  go  off  in  a  direction 
to  Mr.  Clay. 

It  appears  to  me  to  be  our  true  policy  to  oppose  all  caucuses ; 
so  far  our  course  seems  to  me  to  be  clear.  Beyond  that  I  do 
not  think  we  are  bound  to  proceed  at  present.  To  defeat  cau 
cus  nominations,  or  prevent  them,  and  to  give  the  election, 
wherever  it  can  be  done,  to  the  people,  are  the  best  means  of 
restoring  the  body  politic  to  its  natural  and  wholesome  state. 

Mrs.  W.  sends  a  great  deal  of  love  to  you  all. 
Yours,  most  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  hope  you  have  not  abandoned  an  idea  which  you 
intimated  to  me  at  Dorchester.  I  think  you  will  do  exceedingly 
right  to  take  that  step,  and  am  sure  you  will  not  regret  it. 

It  will  excite  no  jealousy  or  suspicion  here,  at  all ;  and  you 
have  reasons  which  will  allay  any  that  might  arise  at  home. 


DAPftEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  December  4,  [1823.] 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  have  received  yours,  covering  three  letters, 
to-day.  My  information  as  to  what  Mr.  H.  said  in  New  York,  was 
from  the  editor  of  the  Statesman ;  but  I  suppose  he  would  not 
wish  to  have  it  known.  He  is  now  here ;  I  shall  see  him  and  will 
endeavor  to  put  him  in  the  right  way.  Mr.  Parrot  lodges  in 
the  same  house  with  us.  He  said  to-day,  speaking  of  New 
Hampshire  affairs,  that  if  there  were  any  objection  to  Governor 
W.,  he  could  not  be  chosen ;  that  Mr.  Morrill  was  talked  of, 
but  he  thought  that  would  hardly  do,  and  that  if  Judge  L.  were 
a  candidate,  he  probably  might  and  would  succeed. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  331 

One  thing  I  hold  to  be  material — get  on  without  a  caucus.  It 
will  only  require  a  little  more  pains.  It  is  time  to  put  an  end  to 
caucuses.  They  make  great  men  little,  and  little  men  great. 
The  true  source  of  power  is  the  people.  The  Democrats  are 
not  democratic  enough.  They  are  real  Aristocrats.  Their 
leaders  wish  to  govern  by  a  combination  among  themselves,  and 
they  think  they  have  a  fee-simple  in  the  people's  suffrages. 

Go  to  the  people,  and  convince  them  that  their  pretended 
friends  are  a  knot  of  self-interested  jobbers,  who  make  a  trade 
of  patriotism  and  live  on  popular  credulity. 

We  have  as  yet  done  little  or  nothing  here.  The  choice  of 
Speaker  should  be  considered  as  indicating  nothing  but  a  sense, 
in  the  House,  of  Mr.  Clay's  fitness  for  that  place.  He  had  nearly 
all  the  northern  votes.  How  he  will  discharge  the  important 
duties  of  the  chair,  in  arranging  the  business  of  the  House,  we 
shall  know  to-morrow.  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  liberality  of  his 
feelings,  and  can  hardly  persuade  myself  that  he  will  be  afraid 
to  shake  off  trammels.  Yet  in  the  present  condition  of  things, 
he  may  perhaps  keep  on  the  safe  side,  as  he  may  think  it.  We 
shall  see. 

Nothing  very  new  and  important  has  transpired  in  relation  to 
the  Presidential  election.  I  remain  of  opinion  the  choice  must 
come  to  the  House. 

I  shall  write  you  often,  and  should  be  glad  to  hear  from  you 
twice  a  week.  These  are  interesting  times,  and  we  ought  to 
keep  awake.  What  think  you  of  doing  or  saying  something  in 
favor  of  the  Greeks  ? 

Mr.  Longfellow  has  not  yet  arrived.  I  note  your  request,  and 
will  see  him.  Yours,  faithfully, 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

Washington,  December  5,  1823. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  gone  over  your  two  manuscripts  with 
the  map  before  me,  and  think  I  have  mastered  the  campaigns 
of  1821-1822,  historically  and  topographically.  My  wonder 
is,  where  and  how  your  most  extraordinary  industry  has  been 


332  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

able  to  find  all  the  materials  for  so  interesting  and  detailed  a 
narrative.  I  hope  you  will  send  me  a  digested  narrative  of  the 
events  of  this  year,  so  far  as  they  are  to  be  learned  from  the  last 
accounts. 

I  have  spoken  to  several  gentlemen  on  the  subject  of  a  motion 
respecting  Greece,  and  all  of  them  approve  it.  The  object 
which  I  wish  to  bring  about,  and  which  I  believe  may  be  brought 
about,  is  the  appointment  of  a  commissioner  to  go  to  Greece. 
Two  modes  present  themselves.  A  motion  to  that  effect,  and  a 
speech  in  support  of  it,  giving  some  account  of  the  rise  and  pro 
gress  of  the  Greek  revolution,  and  showing  the  propriety  and 
utility  of  the  proposed  mission.  The  other  is  to  raise  a  com 
mittee  on  the  subject,  and  let  there  be  a  report  containing  the 
same  matter.  The  first  would  be  the  easier  to  be  done ;  the 
last  would  be  the  more  grave  and  imposing.  Whichever  may 
be  adopted,  your  communications  are  invaluable ;  and  I  wish 
you  would  tell  me  frankly  how  far  I  can  use  them  without  in 
jury  to  your  January  article  in  The  North  American. 

We  can  wait  until  that  article  is  out  if  you  think  best,  but  my 
impression  is  we  should  do  well  to  bring  forward  the  subject 
within  ten  or  twelve  days  from  this  time,  while  the  House  is 
not  yet  much  occupied,  and  while  the  country  feels  the  warmth 
communicated  by  the  President's  message.  I  intend  to  see,  in 
the  course  of  this  day  and  to-morrow,  Mr.  R.  King,  Mr.  Clay, 
and  perhaps  the  President,  and  learn  their  views  of  this  matter. 

I  shall  send  you  every  thing  in  the  shape  of  a  document  that 
is  printed  this  session.  These  are  interesting  times  ;  let  us  im 
prove  them.  Yours,  most  devotedly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

Washington,  December  6,  1823. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — There  was,  as  I  believe,  a  meeting  of  the 
members  of  the  administration  yesterday,  at  which,  inter  alia, 
they  talked  of  Greece.  The  pinch  is,  that  in  the  message,  the 
President  has  taken,  as  is  supposed,  pretty  high  ground  as  to 
this  continent ;  and  is  afraid  of  the  appearance  of  interfering  in 
the  concerns  of  the  other  continent  also.  This  does  not  weigh 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  333 

greatly  with  me ;  I  think  we  have  as  much  community  with 
the  Greeks  as  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  Andes,  and  the  dwel 
lers  on  the  borders  of  the  Vermilion  sea. 

If  nothing  should  occur  to  alter  my  present  purpose,  I  shall 
bring  forward  a  motion  on  the  subject  on  Monday,  and  shall 
propose  to  let  it  lie  on  the  table  for  a  fortnight. 

If  you  can  find  any  tolerable  map  of  modern  Greece,  I  wish 
you  would  send  it  to  me  for  Mr.  Calhoun.  I  write  this  at  his 
request,  who  desires  me  to  say  to  you  that  he  is  as  friendly  to 
the  Greeks  as  yourself. 

I  am  glad  to  see  that  you  publish,  in  the  Daily,  your  narra 
tive.  It  will  be  well  received,  and  do  much  good. 

There  seems  to  be  here  a  good-natured  and  liberal  spirit  on 
all  subjects.  Yours,  most  sincerely, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BLAKE. 

Washington,  December  20,  1823. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  believe  Mrs.  W.  is  meditating  a  letter  to  Mrs. 
B.  to-day ;  but  as  she  told  me  this  morning  it  was  uncertain 
whether  engagements  of  business  would  allow  her  time  to  write, 
she  directed  me  to  indite  a  line  to  Mrs.  B.  to  be  inclosed  in  this, 
which  I  told  her  I  was  about  writing  to  you. 

The  object  of  this  is  to  call  your  attention  to  Mr.  Fuller's  res 
olution  respecting  the  law  of  1814,  that  partial  and  odious  act. 
The  resolution  is  now  before  our  committee.  We  shall  act 
upon  it  soon,  and  probably  report  a  bill  to  repeal  the  act  of 
1814;  probably  in  twelve  days  we  shall  be  acting  on  the  matter 
in  our  House.  I  wish  you,  therefore,  to  do  two  things  :  First, 
to  write  to  me,  giving  me  your  ideas,  and  any  information  which 
you  may  think  useful ;  and,  secondly,  to  write  to  Mr.  Mills  to 
look  after  the  matter  if  it  should  get  to  the  Senate. 

I  have  a  belief,  perhaps  it  is  unfounded,  that  it  will  pass  our 
House.  I  shall  be  very  glad,  if  the  first  thing  I  do  here,  in  ad 
dition  to  its  being  just  and  proper,  shall  also  be  something  not 
unfavorable  to  you. 

As  to  the  business  of  the  court,  I  have  not  yet  paid  much  at 
tention  to  it.  My  Spanish  claims  have  called  for  all  the  time 


334  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

at  my  command.     They  arc  now  pretty  much  finished,  at  least 
so  far  as  not  to  be  extremely  burdensome  on  my  time. 

As  to  great  political  affairs,  we,  who  are  not  in  secrets,  know 
here  very  little  more  than  is  known  in  Massachusetts.  Some 
say  there  is  to  be  a  caucus,  and  some  say  there  is  not.  I  think 
it  yet  uncertain  whether  there  will  be  one  or  not.  I  suppose 
the  members  of  the  House  have  all  their  preferences,  but,  so  far, 
there  is  great  abstinence  in  the  House  from  all  topics  connected 
with  the  election.  I  hope  this  will  last. 

I  write  this  in  the  House,  not  now  in  session,  and  your  friend, 
Mr.  Buchanan, is  here,  and  he  desires  me  to  make  his  remem 
brances  to  you  and  Mrs.  Blake.  He  means  to  write  to  you  soon, 
and  he  just  now  says,  "  Mr.  Blake  is  one  of  the  most  agreeable 
men  I  have  ever  known."  What  a  poor  judge  of  such  matters 
he  is!  If  he  always  judges  so  wrong  he  will  not  do  to  be  fol 
lowed  ! 

Pray  let  me  hear  from  you  soon,  and  believe  me,  most  truly, 

Yours,  always, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    BLAKE. 

Washington,  December  20,  1823. 

1  !Y  DEAR  MADAM, — It  is  Mrs.  Webster's  intention  to  write 
you  immediately,  in  her  proper  person,  in  answer  to  yours  of 
the  eleventh.  Not  to  suffer,  however,  so  great  a  favor  to  remain 
altogether  unnoticed,  even  for  a  short  time,  she  commands  me 
to  write  to  you  to  acknowledge  its  receipt,  and  to  assure  you 
of  the  pleasure  it  gives  us  to  hear  from  you.  It  is  true  that  we 
find  objects  here  which  may  well  enough  fill  up  the  attention 
for  a  time ;  and,  truth  to  tell,  I  really  think  Mrs.  Webster  likes 
Washington  tolerably  well.  Nevertheless,  we  need  your  and 
Mr.  Blake's  society  very  much.  There  is  nobody  here  to  come 
in  of  an  evening,  and  pull  off  his  overshoes,  coats,  and  handker 
chiefs,  and  sit  down  to  a  regular  social  talk,  like  your  husband. 
For  my  part  I  would  give  something  just  to  see  that  blue  hand 
kerchief.  Our  evenings  are  sometimes  not  a  little  lonesome. 
However,  I  occasionally,  though  seldom,  take  a  nap ;  and  as  you 
speak  of  dreaming  away  the  long  nights,  you  hit  me  on  a  tender 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  335 

point,  since  I  am  always  accused,  very  unjustly  of  course,  of  no 
little  love  of  the  good  thing,  sleep.  However,  I  will  not  alto 
gether  deny  it,  and  in  respect  to  good  dreams,  I  am,  I  am  sure, 
surpassed  by  nobody ;  I  believe  I  have  a  talent  that  way.  Our 
evening  parties  are  not  yet  numerous;  we  have  been  but  to 
two,  one  at  General  Brown's,  the  night  before  last,  and  one  at 
Mrs.  Adams,  ten  days  ago.  Report  runs  that  the  drawing- 
room  at  the  White  House  will  be  opened  on  New  Year's  day, 
and  afterward  as  usual.  There  are  several  handsome  female 
faces  here  that  I  have  not  seen  before ;  especially  two  or  three 
ladies  from  the  South.  We  may  be  in  some  danger,  my  dear 
lady,  of  losing  the  reputation  of  the  North,  if  you  do  not  come 
on  to  sustain  us  against  this  southern  competition.  You  must 
remember  that  our  northern  forces  are  much  weakened  since 
your  beautiful  friend  Miss  Dickinson  stays  out  of  the  combat. 
For  this,  as  well  as  other  reasons,  I  hope  you  will  allow  me  to 
entreat  you  to  accompany  your  husband. 

You  have  a  great  friend  here  in  the  person  of  Master  Edward. 
He  desires  all  sorts  of  affectionate  remembrance.  I  think  both 
he  and  his  sister  may  speak  well  of  the  bread  and  butter  of  the 
Potomac.  I  will  thank  you  to  remember  me  to  Miss  Helen. 
I  regret  that  you  are  so  soon  to  lose  her  pleasant  society.  Give 
our  love  to  George.  Mrs.  Webster  will  probably  write  you  in  a 
day  ot  two. 

most  sincere  regard, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER, 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

Washington,  December  21,  1823. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Two  days  ago  I  received  your  Greek  sta 
tistics,  and  to-day  your  letter  of  the  13th.  I  pray  you  not  to 
think  my  engagements  are  such  as  to  make  your  correspond 
ence  inconvenient.  In  the  first  place,  I  write  you  only  when  I 
can  with  convenience,  and  as  to  my  duties  in  the  judiciary 
committee,  most  of  the  topics  coming  up  there  are  pretty 
familiar  to  me,  and  are  consequently  disposed  of  without  great 
labor. 

As  to  the   Greek  subject,  the  resolution  will  be   taken  up 


336  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

to-morrow  fortnight,  not  yesterday  fortnight,  as  mentioned  in 
yesterday's  Daily  Intelligencer.  I  believe  there  will  be  a  good 
deal  of  discussion,  although,  if  any,  pretty  much  on  one  side. 
While  some  of  our  Boston  friends,  as  I  know,  think  this  resolu 
tion  even  Quixotic,  leading  to  crusade,  it  will  be  objected  to 
strongly  by  many,  on  account  of  its  tame  milk  and  water  char 
acter.  The  merchants  are  naturally  enough  a  little  afraid  about 
their  cargoes  at  Smyrna ;  besides,  Greece  is  a  great  way  off,  &c. 

I  find  your  communications  of  the  utmost  utility.  In  regard 
to  the  history  of  the  campaigns,  I  could  have  done  nothing 
without  your  aid. 

My  intention  is  to  justify  the  resolution  against  two  classes 
of  objections,  those  that  suppose  it  not  to  go  far  enough,  and 
those  that  suppose  it  to  go  too  far.  Then,  to  give  some  little 
history  of  the  Greek  revolution,  express  a  pretty  strong  convic 
tion  of  its  ultimate  success,  and  persuade  the  House,  if  I  can,  to 
take  the  merit  of  being  the  first  government,  among  all  the 
civilized  nations,  who  have  publicly  rejoiced  in  the  emancipa 
tion  of  Greece. 

There  will  be  speeches  enough,  some  of  them  no  doubt,  toler 
ably  good.  Whatever  occurs  to  you,  if  it  be  but  a  scrap,  in 
season  to  be  sent  here,  pray  forward  it.  Mr.  Calhoun  is  greatly 
obliged  to  you  for  your  map. 

I  hope  to  hear  from  you  a  short  word  at  least  every  day 
or  two.  Yours  always  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  feel  now  as  if  I  could  make  a  pretty  good  speech  for 
my  friends  the  Greeks,  but  I  shall  get  cool  in  fourteen  days, 
unless  you  keep  up  my  temperature. 


[The  following  lines,  with  prefatory  note  by  Mr.  Webster  in  his  own  hand 
writing,  were  found  among  his  papers.     Ed.] 

THE    LAST    NIGHT    OF    THE    SESSION. 

THE  following  lines,  so  descriptive  of  the  condition  of  the 
two  Houses  of  Congress  at  the  end  of  the  session,  were  written 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  337 

at  the  termination  of  the  session  of  1823—1824,  by  the  late 
Governor  Lincoln  of  Maine,  then  a  member  of  the  House.  Of 
the  six  persons  mentioned,  three,  as  well  as  the  writer,  have  paid 
the  debt  of  nature. 

D.  W. 

"  What  guardian  power  my  country's  glory  keeps, 
When  Senates  doze,  and  e'en  her  Webster  sleeps  ? 
When  Clay,  out-watched,  forsakes  the  empty  chair, 
And  Warfield  winks,  amidst  the  dusky  air  ? 
Thro'  the  dim  hall  the  wandering  echoes  stray 
And  yawning  messengers  look  out  for  day. 
Cutt's  laboring  tongue  can  scarce  pronounce  the  bills, 
And  Cocke  himself  forgets  his  country's  ills. 
Sigh  answers  sigh,  and  snore  resounds  to  snore, 
Like  billows  bursting  on  some  dreary  shore. 
With  lazy  pace,  the  long,  long  hours  return, 
While  worn-out  Sibley  cries,  "  Adjourn,  adjourn." 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    LANGDON    ELWYN. 

Washington,  January  2,  1824. 

THE  season  approaches,  my  dear  Madam,  in  which  we  may 
be  allowed  to  expect  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  and  Miss 
Langdon  Elwyn,  in  this  place.  I  have  accordingly  been 
looking  out  for  your  commands.  Although  you  may  be  very 
much  interested  and  delighted  in  Philadelphia,  you  must  re 
member  that  this  great  city  is  the  national  capital,  and  that  the 
court  is  here.  I  assure  you,  my  dear  Madam,  that  you  are  very 
much  needed  here.  The  North  needs  reinforcements,  as  well  in 
your  department  as  in  ours.  There  is  a  brilliant  circle  of 
beauties  from  the  South,  while  that  from  the  North,  if  not  less 
brilliant  than  usual,  is  yet  less  than  usual. 

We  all  went  yesterday  to  the  President's,  and  had  a  very 
splendid  New  Year.  Mrs.  Webster,  I  perceive,  lays  it  up 
against  Messrs.  Gales  and  Seaton,  that  in  their  account  of  the 
matter,  in  the  paper  of  this  morning,  nothing  is  said  of  the 
ladies.  That,  certainly,  was  a  capital  omission.  Mrs.  Monroe 
was  not  well  enough  to  be  seen,  but  the  honors  of  the  occasion 
were  well  performed  by  Mrs.  Hay. 
VOL.  i.  29 


338  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Mrs.  Webster  begs  me  to  make  her  love  to  yourself  and  Miss 
Emily.  I  pray,  also,  to  be  remembered;  and,  in  the  hope  of  soon 
being  able  to  pay  my  respects  in  person, 

I  am,  Madam,  with  true  regard,  your  obedient  servant, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

Washington,  January  2,  1824. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  send  you  the  answer  to  the  call  for  information 
respecting  the  Greeks.  If  I  mistake  not,  it  will,  with  the 
country,  very  much  raise  the  Greek  stock.  As  to  the  danger, 
from  my  motion,  of  offending  the  Turk,  I  think  we  may  dis 
regard  that,  when  we  see  the  Secretary  of  State  corresponding 
with  a  Greek  agent  in  London,  wishing  him  and  his  nation  all 
success,  and  publishing  the  correspondence. 

It  is  possible  my  motion  may  be  put  off  till  we  get  an  answer 
to  Mr.  Mallory's  motion,  so  as  to  debate  our  whole  foreign  rela 
tions  at  once.  We  shall  have  the  nation ;  and  if  Mr.  Monroe 
does  not  do  speedily  as  much  as  I  have  suggested,  he  will  soon 
be  obliged  to  do  more. 

I  mean  to  say  as  much  to  him,  this  day  or  to-morrow. 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.   JUSTICE    STORY. 

Washington,  January  4,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  in  great  trouble  and  perplexity  on  this 
subject  of  the  courts ;  and  often  wish  I  was  almost  any  where 
rather  than  where  I  am.  There  are  difficulties,  inherent  in  the 
subject;  there  are  others,  more  formidable,  arising  from  the 
state  of  men's  opinions. 

In  the  first  place,  I  cannot  get  over  my  own  objections  to 
separating  your  bench  entirely  from  the  circuits.  I  trust  you 
know,  that  so  far  as  that  course  would  be  convenient  to  the 
members  of  the  court,  it  would  be  most  desirable  to  me  to  fol 
low  it.  But  my  convictions  of  the  public  interest  are  the  other 
way,  and  are  very  strong.  Suffice  it  for  the  present  to  say,  that 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  339 

if  we  separate  your  bench  from  the  circuit,  and  reduce  it  to  five, 
I  should  expect  to  see  it,  in  a  very  few  years,  the  most  unpopu 
lar  tribunal  that  ever  existed. 

In  the  second  place,  I  cannot  persuade  others  to  come  into  my 
views,  which  would  be  to  appoint  circuit  judges  for  some  cir 
cuits.  The  objection  is,  that  this  mode  would  have  the  effect  of 
producing  anti-equality.  Some  circuits  would  have  a  supreme 
judge,  others  a  subordinate  judge ;  and  that  this  inequality, 
which  is  offensive,  and  touches  feeling,  would  be  necessarily 
permanent ;  as  when  a  vacancy  should  happen  on  the  supreme 
bench,  an  appointment  to  fill  it  must  be  made  with  reference  to 
the  circuit  duties  performed  by  the  last  incumbent.  It  is  im 
possible,  at  least  it  seems  so,  to  procure  the  support  of  the 
West  to  this  system ;  and,  as  the  West  alone  is  much  inter 
ested  in  the  change,  nothing  of  course  will  be  done  which  they 
are  not  reconciled  with. 

One  suggestion  is,  to  elevate  the  condition  of  the  district 
judges,  give  them  better  salaries,  &c.,  and  to  make  circuit  courts 
by  the  association  of  district  judges.  This,  in  my  mind,  is 
liable  to  the  first  objection,  it  disconnects  your  court  from  the 
circuits. 

I  wish  you  would  now  tell  me,  just  as  strongly  as  you  feel 
them  to  be,  what  and  how  great  would  be  the  disadvantages  of 
increasing  your  bench  to  nine  ? 

Some  of  them  are  obvious ;  such  as  the  difficulty  of  com 
manding  the  attention  of  nine  men  to  a  cause,  particularly  as 
in  cases  of  equity  and  admiralty,  where  evidence  is  to  be  exam 
ined,  &c.  There  are  many  others  which  occur  to  me ;  and 
more  will  occur  to  you.  And  yet  I  confess  I  cannot  make  so 
strong  a  case  against  that  measure  as  I  thought  I  could  when 
it  was  first  suggested.  On  interesting  constitutional  questions, 
I  rather  think  it  would  be  an  advantage. 

My  impression  is  that,  with  such  increase,  we  could  get  along 
probably  for  twenty  years,  or  forever ;  for  I  am  inclined  to  think 
there  will  be  a  gradual  and  progressive  improvement  in  the  dis 
trict  courts,  and  that  so  far  as  the  business  becomes  incapable 
of  being  performed  by  the  nine  supreme  judges  on  the  circuit, 
the  duties  of  the  circuit  court  will  be  devolved  on  the  district 
judge.  We  shall  not  in  my  opinion  be  likely  to  have  inter 
mediate  circuit  judges.  Suppose,  for  example,  we  should  lose 


340  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

the  district  judge  of  New  Hampshire ;  we  would  try  to  get  Mr. 
Mason  appointed,  lop  off  New  Hampshire  from  your  circuit, 
and  make  him  a  circuit  court. 

I  think  we  should  get  pretty  good  judges  if  appointments 
were  now  to  be  made.  I  mean,  of  two  on  your  bench.  There 
is  no  doubt  Judge  Woodbury  would  be  one,  and  he  is  as  sound 
a  man  as  I  know  of.  It  is  said  Mr.  Burnet,  of  Ohio,  would  be 
the  other. 

On  all  these  subjects  do  pray  write  me,  and  tell  me  what  to 
do.  I  have  not  heard  a  word  from  you. 

I  am  quite  well,  except  that  the  winding  off  the  Spanish 
commissions  has  made  me  write  my  fingers  off.  Before  you 
get  through  this  long  epistle,  you  will  wish  that  were  true. 

Yours  always, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    I.    P.    DAVIS    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  January  6,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  feel  greatly  obliged  by  your  kind  attention 
in  sending  the  canvas-back  ducks.  They  arrived  in  excellent 
order,  in  a  very  short  passage  from  Baltimore.  I  made  the  dis 
tribution  as  you  directed.  Your  club  met  with  Mr.  Dutton,  and 
they  made  a  very  favorable  report  of  the  good  quality  of  the  birds. 
Gorham,  who  is  now  called  an  excellent  judge,  decides  them  to 
be  the  very  best  ever  seen  this  side  of  Havre  de  Grace. 

I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  have  them  in  season  for  my  club  to 
feast  on  them.  Callender  and  Perkins  had  their  wing  a-piece. 
We  drank  your  health  and  a  happy  New  Year  in  a  bumper  of 
"  Black  top."  I  sent  a  very  fine  pair  to  our  friend  Blake.  As 
he  leaves  this  to-morrow  for  Washington,  he  will  make  his  own 
report. 

I  should  be  greatly  delighted  to  visit  Washington  in  February, 
and  think  Bliss  is  quite  disposed ;  if  I  can  make  any  excuse  I 
shall  certainly  do  it.  A  party  propose  going  on  in  a  few  days ; 
Messrs.  J.  Russell,  Codman,  and  Lee,  if  they  are  not  discouraged 
by  a  cold  storm. 

Mr.  Lowell  has  been  writing  on  the  subject  of  the  Greeks ;  his 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  341 

signature  is  "  A  Calm  Man."  It  appears  to  me  he  is  the  only 
one  that  is  not  perfectly  so  among  us.  The  rich  are  not  much 
disposed  to  aid  by  giving  money,  and  the  merchants  have  some 
fears  of  the  trade  at  Smyrna.  Perkins  writes  in  the  Daily 
Advertiser  the  piece  signed  "  A  Merchant." 

We  are  pleased  to  have  a  good  report  of  Jeannette,  and  I  hope 
she  will  continue  to  deserve  it.  The  token  you  enclosed  for  her 
sister  was  received  and  delivered.  My  wife's  love  to  you  and 
yours,  and  many  happy  returns  of  a  New  Year,  in  which  I  most 
heartily  join. 

Yours  as  ever, 

I.  P.  DAVIS. 


MR.   WEBSTER   TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

Washington,  January,  1824. 

DEAR  SIR, — You  are  in  a  long  confabulation — a  short  word  to 
write  when  one  is  in  a  hurry — with  the  Secretary  of  State,  and 
my  coachman  complains  of  the  tempestuous  night.  Good-bye. 
Give  my  love  to  your  wife. 

I  shall  send  my  speech '  along  forthwith,  in  multitudes,  "  like 
which  the  populous  North,"  &c. 

Can  you  leave  me  the  French  author  ?  I  will  send  it  by  Mr. 
Coolidge,  if  needful,  three  days  hence. 

Your  documents  shall  go  regularly,  and  also  any  letters  that 
may  come  to  me  for  you.  I  hope  the  inclemency  of  the  weather 
may  induce  you  to  postpone  your  departure  another  day.  If  so, 
pray  let  me  see  you  or  hear  from  you  in  the  morning.  Adieu. 

Yours, 

D.  W. 


MR.    HOPKINSON    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Philadelphia,  January  23,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — The  report  of  your  speech,  meagre  as  it  is, 
shows  the  foot  of  Hercules  ;  but  we  want  the  whole  body  and 

*  Speech  on  the  Revolution  in  Greece,  January  19,  1824. 

29* 


342  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

soul,  and  trust  you  will  give  it  to  us.  Mr.  Hempbill  wrote  me 
it  was  the  best  he  ever  heard.  I  published  his  letter  in  Walsh's 
Gazette. 

I  scribbled  some  New  Year's  rhymes,  you  know  what  such 
things  are,  for  Poulson's  paper,  and  am  struck  with  some  coin 
cidences  in  our  notions  about  the  Holy  Alliance,  and  the  Greek 
cause.  I  enclose  you  a  copy,  not  because  the  verses  are  worth 
a  farthing  as  poetry,  but  because  I  now  think  they  have  some 
value  as  far  as  they  are  coincident  with  your  views.  In  my 
rhymes  of  the  former  year,  upon  the  same  subject,  I  stated  that 
it  was  a  combination  of  all  kings  against  all  people ;  and  sug 
gested  the  hope  you  also  entertain,  that  the  time  is  approaching 
when  the  moral  and  intellectual  power  of  man  will  be  united 
with  his  physical  force,  and  overthrow  the  unnatural  and  degrad 
ing  slavery  that  now  oppresses  him.  I  confess  this  hope  is  con 
siderably  darkened  by  the  late  events  in  Italy  and  Spain. 

Most  truly  yours, 

JOS.  HOPKINSON. 
EXTRACT    FROM    THE    ADDRESS. 

Not  so  the  Greeks,  who  still  maintain  their  right, 
And  bravely  meet  their  tyrants  in  the  fight ; 
Still  keep  undaunted  the  embattled  field, 
Where  they  may  perish  but  will  never  yield. 
What  nobler  cause  can  fire  the  human  breast, 
Than  thine,  O !  Greece,  so  long,  so  low  opprest  ? 
What  is  there  sacred  in  the  heart  of  man, 
Dear  to  his  soul  since  life  and  light  began, 
That  meets  not  in  your  cause,  afflicted  race, 
And  recommends  it  to  the  Throne  of  Grace  ? 
Religion,  Liberty,  Home,  Children,  Life, 
All  hang  suspended  on  this  awful  strife  ;< — 
May  Heaven  afford  the  aid  which  Man  denies, 
And  crown  your  efforts  with  the  hard-earn'd  prize. 
Christians  of  Europe  !     Burn  ye  not  with  shame  ? 
Christians  ye  are  not,  only  in  the  name  ; — 
The  Turk,  exulting,  mocks  your  God  and  creed ; 
Beneath  his  sabre,  hosts  of  Christians  bleed ; 
And  ye  look  on  and  coldly  count  the  cost, 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  343 

The  policy  of  battles  won  and  lost. 

Your  monarchs  meet  and  hold  a  grave  debate, 

Weighing  this  cause  against  some  trick  of  state ; 

Find  it  is  best  the  Crescent  should  prevail, 

And  sink  the  bleeding  Cross — O  shameful  tale ! 

The  Turk  himself  can  scarce  believe  it  true  ; 

He  would  not  thus  abandon  Turk  to  you. 

Holy  Allies — your  flag  is  now  unfurl'd, 

No  longer  can  you  cheat  and  mock  the  world  ; 

Ambition,  power,  and  avarice,  are  the  ties 

That  bind  these  generous,  great,  and  good  Allies. 


MR.    HOPKINSON    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Philadelphia,  February  1,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Now  that  your  Greek  resolution,  like  poor 
Fidele,  is  laid  in  its  tomb,  decked  with  flowers  of  every  hue,  I 
hope  you  will  have  time  to  think  of  your  living  friends  in  Phila 
delphia,  who  never  cease  to  think  of  you.  By  your  letter  to  our 
friend  Walsh,  I  find  you  are  preparing  a  proper  publication  of 
your  speech.  I  pray  you  to  take  pains  with  it.  You  are  gen 
erally  too  careless  of  yourself  and  your  reputation  ;  and,  content 
with  doing  a  thing  well,  you  have  too  little  solicitude  about  the 
proof  of  it  to  the  world.  Your  views  of  the  character,  object, 
and  extent  of  the  Holy  Alliance  have  particularly  attracted 
public  attention  for  their  strength  and  novelty  in  many  particu 
lars.  Develop  yourself  fully  on  this  subject ;  it  is  of  vast  inter 
est,  and  may  be  illustrated  with  great  force  by  their  declarations 
and  conduct  for  the  last  two  years.  It  is,  in  one  respect,  a 
misfortune  for  a  man  to  obtain  a  high  eminence  of  character ; 
he  is  required  always  to  maintain  it,  and  this  calls  for  a  con 
stant  vigilance  and  effort  which  are  not  always  convenient. 
Besides,  few  have  judgment  to  know  of  what  a  subject  is  capa 
ble,  and  expect  to  see  the  same  power  displayed,  whether  an 
oak  is  to  be  uprooted,  or  a  rose  plucked  from  its  bush.  I  agree 
with  Mr.  Randolph  in  his  surprise  that  you  should  find  so  much 
to  be  well  said  on  your  resolution.  It  is  only  a  mind  of  great 
resources,  with  a  genius  creative  and  prolific,  that  could  have 


344  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

connected  it  with  so  much  important  and  interesting  matter. 
Not  one  of.  your  opponents  has  met  you  fairly  on  your  own 
ground.  Some  have  treated  the  resolution  as  an  abstract 
Declaration  of  War,  and  others  have  assumed  that  it  would  cer 
tainly  lead  to  war  ;  and  thus  mounted  on  a  monster  of  their  own 
creation,  they  have  gone  off  at  full  speed,  spreading  devastation 
and  terror  in  their  path.  It  is  thus  with  men  who  must  speak, 
and  can't  argue.  Of  this  genus,  I  have  seen  so  many,  especially 
in  the  great  hall  of  Congress,  that  I  know  them  from  the  first 
jump  they  take. 

I  saw  our  friend  Judge  Story  during  the  short  time  he  gave 
us  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  delighted  to  find  him  in  high  health 
and  spirits.  He  is  ready  for  a  tough  campaign ;  but  on  his 
return,  I  shall  look  for  paler  cheeks  and  dimmer  eyes.  Your 
duties  with  the  court,  commission,  and  congress  will  now  be 
heavy  ;  but  nobody  is  more  able  to  bear  them.  God  bless  you 
and  yours  ever  and  forever. 

Truly  yours, 

Jos.  HOPKIXSON. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  January  27,  1824. 

I  HAVE  omitted  for  a  long  time  to  write  to  you,  principally 
because  I  have  had  nothing  important  to  say,  and  partly  be 
cause  I  have  had  little  leisure.  I  shall  send  you  my  Greek 
speech  in  a  pamphlet  form,  in  a  few  days.  You  notice  the 
occurrence  between  Mr.  Speaker  and  Mr.  Bartlett.  I  am  in 
clined  to  think  Mr.  Bartlett  will  find  it  necessary  to  do  some 
thing,  in  consequence  of  what  happened,  by  way  of  obtaining  a 
pacific  explanation.  He  will,  as  you  see,  get  no  explanation  in 
the  House,  and  yet  it  would  seem  he  is  bound  to  obtain  expla 
nation.  I  presume  some  friends  will  undertake  to  set  matters 
right, 

I  have  conversed  about  the  mail  contracts.  There  is  the  best 
disposition  at  the  department  to  do  what  is  right,  but  the  ques 
tion  is,  how  ?  The  contracts  are  not  out  till  next  year,  and  if  a 
law  were  to  pass  excluding  printers,  still,  printers'  friends  would 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  345 

bid.      Some   one   else   must    offer    lower,    there   is    no    other  - 
remedy. 

******* 

The  Presidential  question  is  still  in  the  clouds.  We  know 
no  more  here  than  you  do,  and  such  as  you  and  I  have  nothing 
to  do  but  keep  quiet. 

I  think  your  course  is  right  about  your  next  governor.  Take 
care  to  open  the  door,  and  let  the  people  say  who  shall  go  in. 
For  certain  reasons,  I  should  wish  Mr.  Livermore  might  be 
chosen.  For  certain  others,  I  should  not  regret  Mr.  Merrill's 
elevation.  Let  us  know  how  things  are  going  on. 

Of  all  your  representatives  I  have  seen  most  of  Mr.  Plumer, 
and  am  thus  far  quite  well  pleased  with  him. 

Yours  always, 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

Washington,  February  13,  1824. 

MR.  BLISS  can  furnish  you  the  report  of  the  commissioners 
under  the  Louisiana  Treaty ;  there  is  a  copy  in  my  drawer  in 
the  office. 

I  have  sent  you  sundry  speeches  ;  if  you  think  it  worth  while, 
you  may  send  one  to  any  friend  on  the  other  side  the  Atlantic. 
There  is  no  export  duty ;  it  is  casus  omissus  in  the  new  tariff. 
On  this  same  tariff  we  are  now  occupied ;  it  is  a  tedious, 
disagreeable  subject.  The  House,  or  a  majority  of  it,  are  appar 
ently  insane,  at  least  I  think  so.  Whether  any  thing  can  be 
done  to  moderate  the  disease,  I  know  not.  I  have  very  little 
hope.  I  am  aware  that  something  is  expected  from  me,  much 
more  than  I  shall  perform.  It  would  be  easy  to  make  a  speech, 
but  I  am  anxious  to  do  something  better,  if  I  can,  but  I  see  not 
what  I  can  do. 

The  caucus  is  to-morrow ;  I  intend  to  learn  what  transpires 
in  it,  and  write  a  line  to  Mr.  Hale,  after  it  is  over,  in  the 
evening. 

Thine,  D.  W. 


346  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  February  22. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  will  send  you  the  book  you  wish. 

I  imagine  that  New  Hampshire,  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut, 
and  Georgia,  have  always  chosen  on  a  general  ticket.  Vermont 
and  New  Jersey  sometimes,  but  not  always.  The  rest  of  the 
States  probably  never.  But  I  will  make  some  inquiries  among 
the  members  and  inform  you  of  the  result. 

The  caucus  has  hurt  nobody  but  its  friends,  as  far  as  I  can 
now  judge.  Mr.  Adams's  chance  seems  to  increase,  and  he  and 
General  Jackson  are  likely  to  be  the  real  competitors  at  last. 
General  Jackson's  manners  are  more  presidential  than  those  of 
any  of  the  candidates.  He  is  grave,  mild,  and  reserved.  My 
wife  is  for  him  decidedly. 

We  are  going  on  in  debating  the  tariff.  The  result  is  uncer 
tain  ;  with  some  modification  the  bill  would  pass,  and  probably 
may  as  it  is. 

I  think  your  friend  Governor  W.  will  probably  be  reflected 
for  want  of  some  one  to  be  set  up  against  him. 

Yours,  D.  W. 

P.  S.  We  shall  beat  our  adversaries,  I  trust,  in  the  Steam 
boat  cause. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  Saturday  Morning,  [1824.] 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — The  matters  of  business  I  wrote  you  about 
in  my  last,  have  all  been  attended  to  on  my  part. 

As  to  politics,  we  are  all  in  a  ferment,  as  you  will  see.  By 
the  way,  Governor  Morrill  has  been  in  town,  and  I  have  heard 
of  his  saying  that  he  should  favor  the  election  of  General 
Miller  and  yourself.  That  he  should  give  his  support  to  the 
gallant  general  is  easy  enough  to  be  believed;  but  how  he 
should  happen  to  think  so  well  of  you  as  to  say,  voluntarily, 
that  he  should  support  your  election,  can  be  accounted  for  only 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  347 

on  the  principle  of  the  near  approach,  or  actual  arrival,  of  the 
"  era  of  good  feeling." 

But  to  advert  to  matters  that  come  nearer  home;  Mrs. 
Webster  wants  half  a  dozen  barrels  of  your  best  potatoes  sent 
down  by  the  boat ;  the  flour  has  arrived,  &c. 

Yours,  in  haste, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  March  14,  1824. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  fully  agree  with  you  that  it  is  unfortunate 
that  Judge  Smith  should  be  set  up  for  Governor,  but,  as  it  is  all 
over  by  this  time,  it  is  in  vain  to  repine.  I  feel  confident  from 
all  accounts,  there  will  be  no  choice,  and  incline  to  think  M.  and 
W.  will  be  the  highest  candidates ;  in  which  event,  I  presume  the 
former  will  be  chosen.  It  may  be  as  well  to  try  him.  I  hope 
to  see  a  number  of  good  men  chosen  into  the  Legislature. 

The  tariff  is  yet  undecided.  It  will  not  pass,  I  think,  in  its 
present  shape,  and  I  doubt  if  it  will  pass  at  all.  As  yet  I  have 
not  interfered  much  in  the  debate,  partly  because  there  were 
others  more  desirous  to  discuss  the  details  than  I  arn,  and 
partly  because  I  have  been  so  much  in  the  court.  I  have  done, 
however,  with  the  court,  and  the  whole  tariff  subject  is  yet 
open.  I  shall  be  looking  after  it,  although  I  should  prefer  it 
should  die  a  natural  death,  by  postponement  or  other  easy  vio- 
3nce.  We  shall  not  do  much  with  the  judiciary,  and  yet  we 
shall  do  something. 

As  to  President,  Jackson  seems  to  be  making  head  yet, 
Arbuthnot  and  Ambrister  notwithstanding.  The  truth  is,  he  is 
the  people's  candidate  in  a  great  part  of  the  southern  and 
western  country.  I  hope  all  New  England  will  support  Mr. 
Calhoun  for  the  Vice-Presidency.  If  so,  he  will  probably  be 
shosen,  and  that  will  be  a  great  thing.  He  is  a  true  man,  and 
do  good  to  the  country  in  that  situation. 

The  court  will  sit  a  week  longer.  My  engagements  in  it  this 
3rm  have  not  been  few  nor  small,  and  have  kept  me  pretty 
)usy.  The  Spanish  affairs  are  nearly  through. 


348  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Mrs.  Webster  sends  her  love  to  you  and  the  children.  She 
will  write  you  shortly,  and  I  believe  is  expecting  a  communica 
tion  from  you. 

Yours  always, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Washington,  April  10,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  happy  to  hear,  through  Mr.  Paige,  that 
you  were  at  home  so  seasonably  and  so  safe ;  and  I  hope  to 
learn  soon  from  yourself,  that  you  had  the  pleasure  of  finding 
Mrs.  Story  and  the  children  well.  I  have  not  had  an  earlier 
opportunity  of  writing  to  you,  although  I  wished  to  call  your 
attention  to  two  or  three  things,  in  regard  to  which  you 
promised  me  the  benefit  of  your  opinions.  We  have  had  a 
busy  lime  of  it  since  you  left  us.  For  myself,  I  am  exhausted. 
When  I  look  in  the  glass,  I  think  of  our  old  New  England  say 
ing,  "  As  thin  as  a  shad."  I  have  not  vigor  enough  left,  either 
mental  or  physical,  to  try  an  action  for  assault  and  battery. 
However,  the  fine  weather  has  come  on,  I  have  resumed  the 
saddle,  and  hope  to  "  pick  up  my  crumbs  "  again  soon.  You 
see  the  condition  of  the  tariff.  The  great  struggle  has  been  on 
the  iron ;  and  our  majority  yesterday  was  unexpectedly  great 
The  speeches  on  the  side  of  the  bill  have  been  very  impressive 
and  captivating  on  the  general  question ;  on  the  ability  of  pro 
tecting  domestic  industry,  raising  prices  of  agricultural  products 
by  manufactures,  working  up  our  own  materials,  &c.  Accom 
panying  sentiments  of  this  sort,  we  have  had  much  from  the 
Philadelphia  school,  of  the  adverse  balance  of  trade,  exportation 
of  specie,  loss  of  foreign  markets,  &c.  But  I  think  some  im 
pression  has  been  made  against  arguments  of  this  class.  For 
myself,  I  have  really  wished  some  proper  and  reasonable  bill  to 
pass,  that  the  business  might  be  settled.  I  would  not  oppose 
the  bill,  I  think,  if  hemp  should  be  struck  out,  and  some  other 
minor  amendments  made.  The  molasses,  I  presume,  will  come 
out.  The  minimum  ought  to  be  struck  out  of  the  woollens. 
And  if  possible,  there  should  be  a  change  in  a  variety  of  pro 
visions  about  hardware.  It  is  a  great  object  to  settle  the 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  349 

concerns  of  the  community;  so  that  one  may  know  what  to 
depend  on.  I  am  apprehensive,  however,  that  our  vote  yester 
day  has  made  the  bill  so  unacceptable  to  its  friends,  that  it  is 
very  probable  they  may  abandon  it. 

I  shall  call  up  some  bills  reported  by  our  committee,  as  soon 
as  possible.  The  gentlemen  of  the  West  will  propose  a  clause, 
requiring  the  assent  of  a  majority  of  all  the  judges  to  a  judg 
ment,  which  pronounces  a  state  law  void,  as  being  in  violation 
of  the  constitution  or  laws  of  the  United  States.  Do  you  see 
any  great  evil  in  such  a  provision  ?  Judge  Todd  told  me  he 
thought  it  would  give  great  satisfaction  in  the  West.  In  what 
phraseology  would  you  make  such  a  provision  ? 

As  to  the  bankrupt  law,  pray  give  me  your  ideas  of  an  out 
line,  as  I  must  bring  forward  some  resolutions  on  that  subject 
before  the  end  of  the  session.  I  know  how  much  you  are 
employed,  but  still  I  must  have  one  half  hour. 

Mrs.  Webster  desires  her  best  regards  to  Mrs.  Story  and 
yourself.  I  will  also  beg  to  be  remembered  to  Mrs.  Story.  I 
hope  you  will  allow  me  to  hear  from  you  soon. 

With  constant  regard,  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  Sunday  Morning. — I  hardly  know  what  our  votes  of 
yesterday  indicate,  as  to  the  final  decision  on  the  tariff.  My 
impression  rather  is,  that  the  bill  will  hardly  get  through  our 
House.  It  certainly  would  not,  if  there  were  not  so  many 
members  who  vote  on  the  judgment  of  their  constituents,  not 
on  their  own. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  April  18,  1824. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — Mr.  Clay's  speech  is  printed;  mine  is  in 
press,  and  both  shall  be  sent  to  you  in  pamphlet.1 

I  hope  to  get  away  by  12th  May,  and  to  be  at  home  in  season 
to  see  you  at  Dorchester  the  week  before  the  General  Court 
meets  at  Concord.  The  ensuing  summer  I  shall  do  nothing 

i  Speech  on  the  Tariff,  April  1  and  2,  1824. 
VOL.  i.  30 


350  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

but  move  about  and  play.  I  shall  certainly  spend  a  fortnight 
with  you  at  Boscawen,  and  the  rest  you  must  spend  with  us. 
August  we  will  pass  together  on  Cape  Cod.  My  wife  wants 
some  one  to  ride  about  with  her,  while  I  am  shooting,  &c. 

The  tariff  will  not  pass  the  Senate  without  great  amendment. 

We  have  struck  a  mortal  blow  on  the  tariff  principle.  If  it 
were  not  for  instruction  and  other  nonsense,  two  thirds  nearly 
of  our  House  would  be  against  it.  It  would  be  a  noble  thing 
for  Mason,  Haven,  and  yourself,  to  draw  up  resolutions  that 
should  be  just  and  sensible  on  that  subject,  and  pass  them 
through  the  New  Hampshire  Legislature. 

There  is  nothing  new  about  President,  except  that  I  think 
Mr.  Adams's  prospects  have  grown  more  favorable  for  a  few 
weeks. 

I  enclose  you  three  letters  by  way  of  samples  of  my  corre 
spondence.  I  shall  answer  none  of  them.  If  you  see  my  "  old 
friend  D.  Dyer,"  I  have  no  objection  to  your  telling  him  that  I 
remember  him,  and  that  I  wished  you  to  make  him  a  present 
of  a  few  dollars  in  my  name,  if  he  be  poor  as  represented.  I 
have  many  more  letters  equally  interesting.  My  wife  and 
children  are  well,  and  send  their  love  to  you  and  yours. 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.   JUSTICE    STORY. 

Washington,  May  4,  1824. 

DEAR  SIR, — We  had  the  Supreme  Court  before  us  yesterday, 
rather  unexpectedly,  and  a  debate  arose  which  lasted  all  day. 
Cohens  v.  Virginia,  Green  and  Biddle,  &c.  were  all  discussed. 
Most  of  the  gentlemen  were  very  temperate  and  guarded  ;  there 
were,  however,  some  exceptions,  especially  Mr.  Randolph, 
whose  remarks  were  not  a  little  extraordinary.  Mr.  Barbour 
re-argued  Cohen's  case ;  Mr.  Letcher  and  Mr.  Wickliffe  did  the 
same  for  Green  and  Biddle ;  I  said  some  few  things,  eo  instanti, 
which  I  thought  the  case  called  for.  The  proposition  for  the 
concurrence  of  five  judges  will  not  prevail.  This  morning  I 
have  submitted  my  own  proposition,  which  I  apprehend  will 
receive  very  general  assent. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  351 

Just  as  I  was  getting  out  of  other  troubles,  this  business  of 
Mr.  Edwards  came  upon  me.  I  could  not  avoid  it. 

This  fine  weather  passes  off  without  my  knowing  whether  it 
rains  or  shines.  From  nine  in  the  morning  till  eleven  at  night,  I 
am  shut  up  either  in  the  House  or  the  committee  rooms.  I  am, 
however,  remarkably  well  for  me;  and  have,  I  believe,  in  a 
month  picked  up  some  pounds  avoir  du  pois  of  flesh. 

My  wife  sends  her  love  to  you  and  yours.  We  are  "  dreadful 
homesick." 

Yours  always,  D.  WEBSTER. 


GOVERNOR    GORE    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Waltham,  May  11,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  thank  you  for  an  excellent  speech,  lately 
received,  on  the  tariff,  replete  in  my  estimation  with  true  prin 
ciples  and  sound  doctrines,  which,  if  acted  upon,  would  promote 
the  individual  objects  exclusively  intended  to  be  fostered,  at 
the  same  time  that  the  other  great  interests  of  the  community 
would  be  preserved. 

No  one  rejoices  more  sincerely  than  myself  at  witnessing 
your  advance  in  the  public  mind.  There  is  hardly  cavil  and 
carping  enough  to  relieve  you  from  the  denunciation  pro 
nounced  against  him  of  whom  all  speak  well. 

Governor  Eustis  will  ride  triumphantly  into  the  chair  of 
State,  and  has  the  cheering  prospect  of  being  buried  under 
arms ;  that,  to  a  minister  of  war,  and  .one  who  has  been  in  the 
field  of  Waterloo,  must  brighten  his  setting  sun. 

I  owe  a  bill  to  Gales  and  Seaton  for  The  Intelligencer  from 
some  time  in  1822  or  1823.  Be  so  good  as  to  pay  the  amount 
and  to  the  end  of  the  current  year  of  my  subscription.  I  will 
repay  you  on  your  return. 

With  great  regard,  I  remain,  my  dear  Sir,  your  affectionate 
friend,  and  obedient  servant, 

C.  GORE. 


352  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    BLAKE. 

Washington,  June  9,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  MADAM, — Mrs.  Coyle  has  granted  me  the  honor  of 
franking  a  letter  to  you,  which,  in  her  opinion,  contains  some 
thing  which  in  its  perfect  state  a  good  deal  resembled  yourself. 
I  presume  on  the  further  liberty  of  writing  this,  just  to  inform 
yourself  and  husband  that  I  am  yet  alive,  and  do  not  hope  to 
be  quite  forgotten.  I  have  been  as  far  as  Philadelphia  with 
Mrs.  Webster;  there  we  parted,  and  I  suppose  she  will  have  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you  next  week.  I  am  yet  busy,  with  little 
to  do ;  and  hope  to  leave  a  P.  P.  C.  with  the  whole  of  Wash 
ington  in  four  or  five  days. 

You  will  not  expect  me  to  say  how  suddenly  and  how  really 
all  things  seemed  changed  here,  when  you  and  your  husband 
departed.  No  talks,  no  music,  no  rides,  no  little  suppers  on  the 
light  stand,  no  birthnight  balls.  And  now,  since  Mrs.  Webster 
and  Julia,  and  that  good-for-nothing  Ned,  are  gone,  it  is  lonely 
enough. 

I  pray  you  tell  Mr.  Blake,  that  after  I  get  home,  if  I  ever 
should  do  so,  I  expect  to  find  him  ready  for  play  the  residue  of 
the  summer.  I  am  yet  not  so  reduced  but  that  I  could  walk 
with  a  bit  of  iron  on  my  shoulder.  Truth  to  tell  I  am  ex 
tremely  homesick ;  and  I  shall  reckon  it  a  happy  day,  when  I 
set  my  face  northward. 

I  hope  George  has  become  quite  well,  and  that  he  has  kept  a 
controlling  eye  on  Master  Daniel,  during  his  vacation.  You 
have  done  the  said  master  a  great  favor  by  allowing  him  a 
shelter. 

I  pray  you,  my  dear  lady,  to  make  my  love  to  your  husband, 
and  to  believe  me  with  great  truth  and  regard, 

Yours,  DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BLAKE. 


Washington,  June  16,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  been  thinking  a  good  deal  of  you  foi 
the  last  three  days.     It  is  very  unhappy  to  associate  the  idea  of 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  353 

one's  friend  with  anything  disagreeable,  ugly,  or  abominable. 
And  yet,  my  dear  Sir,  that  unluckily  happens  to  me.  And 
what  disagreeable  or  abominable  thing  do  you  think  it  is  which 
brings  you  to  my  mind,  and  keeps  you  there  ?  Simply  our  old 
enemy,  the  east  wind.  Here  he  is,  however  little  you  might 
suspect  it,  in  great  strength  and  true  character.  I  have  tasted  it 
for  three  successive  mornings.  It  has  its  old  flavor.  I  have 
never  known  certainly  such  weather  here,  at  this  season.  It 
was  cold  enough  yesterday  morning  for  a  frost.  I  am  here  yet 
on  a  certain  committee.  We  hope  to  get  through  the  evidence 
to-day,  and  then  to  wind  up  our  labors  soon.  I  am,  in  the 
mean  time,  trying  to  get  along  with  a  few  Spanish  claims,  in 
which  I  have  made  some  little  progress.  All  that  I  can  do  here, 
I  wish  to  do,  while  I  have  the  aid  of  Mr.  Jaudon,  and  all  the 
papers.  I  have,  for  this  reason,  dispersed  what  I  have  received 
as  fast  as  possible  among  those  to  whom  it  belongs,  saving  a 
little  to  buy  a  few  articles  that  may  be  necessary  about  August. 

I  trust  I  shall  get  away  before  the  week  is  out.  I  am  home 
sick — homesick — homesick.  I  learn  that  Mrs.  Webster  was  to 
embark  yesterday  from  New  York  for  New  Haven.  I  presume 
she  will  be  in  Dorchester  by  the  time  you  receive  this. 

We  have  no  news  here  worth  communicating.  Pray  give 
my  most  profound  regards  to  Mrs.  Blake.  If  I  live  to  get  home, 
I  shall  be  glad. 

Yours,  D.  W. 

P.  S.  Have  you  been  at  Cohasset  or  Chelsea  Beach  ?  Are 
you  ever  found  riding  with  an  umbrella1  in  your  chaise? 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  November  6,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  was  about  writing  to  you  this  morning, 
when  I  received  your  letter.  I  assure  you  few  things  of  the 
kind  have  given  me  more  uneasiness  than  rny  failing  to  visit 

1  Mr.  Blake  used  to  call  his  fowling-piece,  when  in  its  case,  as  he  was  driving, 
his  umbrella. 

30* 


354  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

you  on  my  return  from  New  Hampshire.  But  truly,  we  could 
not  do  it.  There  were  strong  reasons  why  I  should  come  by 
way  of  Dunstable,  or  go  there  after  I  got  home ;  and  I  found  I 
could  not  have  time  for  the  latter.  I  came  home  from  Wash 
ington  so  late,  that  there  has  been  no  summer.  But  I  am  still 
more  disappointed  at  your  abandonment  of  the  intention  of 
coming  here.  I  beg  you  to  reconsider  that  matter.  It  is  yet  a 
fortnight  before  you  are  wanted  at  Concord.  Pray  come  over 
the  ensuing  week,  and  stay  a  day  or  two,  if  no  more.  I  shall 
be  at  home,  as  I  expect,  every  day,  and  with  no  engagement  of 
business.  By  the  16th  or  17th,  I  must  be  off.  If  you  are  afraid 
to  come  to  Boston,  I  will  meet  you,  any  day,  except  Friday,  at 
Salem,  on  a  little  notice.  But  it  will  be  no  more  trouble  for 
you  to  come  here.  You  need  see  nobody,  unless  you  choose. 
We  are  in  town,  safe  and  snug,  and  can  give  you  a  bed.  Pray 
come  if  you  can,  and  write  me  on  Monday  to  let  me  know  if 
we  may  look  for  you. 

I  am  quite  astonished  at  New  Hampshire  votes.  From  the 
Concord  and  the  Keene  papers,  I  should  think  probably  that 
Ezekiel  Webster  is  chosen,  though  by  no  means  certain  ;  but  at 
any  rate,  the  result  shows  some  new  movements  and  workings 
in  the  public  mind. 

I  shall  write  to  Mr.  Haven  next  week,  unless  I  learn  that  you 
are  coming  up.  You  certainly  do  very  right  to  go  to  Concord. 
My  brother  has  been  here  this  week ;  he  thinks  there  are  very 
good  prospects  of  a  pleasant  session.  Interested  individuals 
may  pretend  that  the  result  of  the  late  voting  proves  only  a 
surprise  on  the  old  democratic  party,  I  think  otherwise.  It 
appears  to  me  to  indicate  a  diminution  of  party  feeling,  and  a 
growing  regard  to  personal  character. 

Yours  always,  with  much  love  from  Mrs.  Webster  to  you  and 
yours.  I  shall  hear  from  you  by  Tuesday;  I  hope,  that  you 
are  coming ;  don't  disappoint  us. 

Yours  always, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  355 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  December  4,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  LOVE, — I  have  made  an  engagement  to  take 
lodgings  at  a  Mr.  Mclntire's,  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  between 
Mrs.  Peyton's  and  Brown's  on  the  opposite  side.  It  is  a  new 
house,  and  the  people  seem  to  be  good  people.  I  have  a  large 
room  in  front  to  myself,  and  a  very  comfortable  lodging-room. 
There  are  some  other  persons  living  in  the  house,  but  my 
establishment  is  all  to  myself.  Charles  is  to  be  my  servant ;  I 
am  to  take  possession  to-morrow,  and  present  prospects  are 
favorable. 

I  dined  to-day  at  Mrs.  Coyles.  Her  house  is  not  yet  full. 
She  says  she  has  never  had  so  much  difficulty  in  making  up  a 
mess.  Mr.  Williams,  Mr.  Baylies,  Mr.  McKee,  and  Mr.  Storrs, 
are  there,  and  nobody  else  at  present.  You  will  hardly  be  sorry 
to  hear  that  poor  old  Mary  is  dead.  She  was  sick  all  summer, 
and  Mrs.  Coyle  says  she  was  a  perfect  slave  to  her  many 
months  ;  not  an  unjust  retribution.  She  died  a  month  ago. 

I  am  going  up  this  evening  to  see  the  President. 

Yours  always,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  have  your  letter  of  Thanksgiving  day  and  William's 
from  New  York. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  December  6,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  LOVE, — I  am  so  happy  as  to  have  received  yours 
of  the  2d  instant,  and  to  hear  of  the  health  and  happiness  of 
you  all. 

For  two  days  I  have  been  busy  in  getting  into  my  new 
lodgings ;  and  by  to-morrow  evening  hope  to  have  all  things  in 
order.  I  am  a  good  deal  like  Robinson  Crusoe;  I  have  an 
outer  room,  and  an  inner  one  for  retreat,  and  a  man  Friday ; 
and  except  Friday,  am  quite  alone. 

Thus  far  every  thing  looks  well.  The  keepers  of  the  house 
seem  to  be  very  obliging,  neat,  good  people ;  and  for  conve- 


356  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

nience  of  work  and  business,  I  have  never  been  better  off  here. 
1  am  sorry  to  find  that  my  books  have  suffered  much.  They 
look  as  if  they  had  all  been  tumbled  into  the  cellar  together. 
However,  I  hope  in  a  day  or  two  to  get  the  mould  off,  though 
the  scratches  and  bruises  are  likely  to  remain. 

Mrs.  Brown  gave  her  first  party  last  night.  Having  occasion 
to  go  to  the  President's,  I  called  on  my  return.  It  was  the 
assemblage  pretty  much  of  a  Washington  party  of  last  year. 
Mrs.  Johnston  was  there  and  spoke  of  you  with  great  kindness, 
and  inquired  for  you  very  particularly.  Her  youngest  boy  is 
six  weeks  old.  Many  other  ladies,  and  gentleman  also !  asked 
after  your  welfare  with  much  apparent  interest,  and  one  of  them 
pronounced  you  a  favorite  of  the  whole  city.  Mr.  Vaughan  is 
unbounded  in  his  thanks  for  what  he  calls  our  kindness  at 
Boston,  and  by  way  of  proof  has  invited  me  to  a  small  dinner 
on  Monday.  Mrs.  Lowell  has  a  party  on  Friday,  and  this  I 
believe  is  all  the  Washington  news  I  have. 

I  thank  Julia  for  her  very  good  and  kind  letter,  and  Master 
D.  for  his  imitation  of  an.  obedient  medal.  Whatsoever  is 
properly  obedient  I  hope  he  will  continue  successfully  to 
imitate. 

I  shall  write  Julia  soon.  I  hope  Edward  will  not  suffer  me 
much  longer  to  languish  for  a  letter  from  his  pen.  A  single 
one  of  his  delicate  and  delightful  scrawls  would  give  me 
pleasure. 

Adieu,  my  dear  Grace,  give  my  love  "to  all  the  house." 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MRS.    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  December  8, 1824,  Friday  evening. 

MY  DEA.R  LOVE, — I  am  happy  to  have  a  letter  to-day  from 
Uncle  William,  under  a  Boston  date.  He  seems  to  have  had  a 
rapid  passage  home,  and  informs  me  you  were  all  well  Monday 
morning. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  357 

I  am  at  length  pretty  well  settled  in  my  new  abode,  and  well 
pleased  with  it. 

Together  with  this,  I  send  a  little  box,  in  which,  when  you 
have  taken  all  the  papers  off  and  opened  it,  you  will  find  two 
little  bits  of  articles  l  designed  as  presents.  One  of  them,  if  you 
like  it,  you  will  place  in  your  own  cap ;  and  the  other  in  Col. 
Paige's  ruffle.  Give  him  a  box  on  the  ear,  and  tell  him  to  be  a 
good  boy.  The  one  intended  for  him  is  that  with  a  single  stone 
and  pillar.  If  you  do  not  fancy  yours,  you  can  return  it  to  me 
in  the  same  little  box,  and  the  proprietor  will  take  it  back  again. 
If  he  does  not  fancy  his,  tell  him  he  is  no  true  man.  Intending 
to  put  a  thing  of  this  kind  in  the  Colonel's  shirt,  I  sent  for  one, 
and  the  jeweller  sent  me  two,  to  make  a  choice  from.  They 
both  seemed  pretty ;  and  Mr.  Wallenstein  thought  the  one  with 
three  stones  would  be  very  proper  for  a  lady ;  so  I  send  both. 

Mrs.  Lowell  has  a  party  to-night,  and  if  I  am  not  too  sleepy 
at  eight  o'clock,  I  intend  to  go. 

I  hope  to  hear  from  you  to-morrow,  as  I  have  no  letter  to-day. 

Adieu,  with  love  to  all. 

Yours  always,  D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    HADDOCK. 

Washington,  December  23,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  CHARLES, — I  have  received  your  letter,  and  under 
present  circumstances,  you  must  expect  only  a  brief  answer. 

I  hope  you  will  write  your  oration  for  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa. 
The  subject  you  speak  of  is  a  good  one ;  but  will  lead  you,  I 
fancy,  to  this  result,  that  is,  that  the  period  of  literature  "  most 
adapted  to  form  the  character  of  those  who  are  to  bear  a  part 
in  our  future  transactions,"  is  the  present  period.  This  is  an 
age  of  free,  powerful,  and  intense  thinking,  rather  than  an  age 
of  fine  writing.  The  wits  of  Anne's  time  were  fit  to  polish  the 
age,  perhaps  more  than  to  advance  it  in  positive  acquirement. 
If  I  have  leisure,  I  will  sometime  give  you  my  thoughts  on  this 
matter  at  large,  but  I  am  so  poor  a  manager  of  the  great 

1  Two  diamond  pins. 


358  PKIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

treasure,  time,  that  I  never  have  on  hand  any  stock  to  disburse. 
And  this  metaphor  brings  me  to  the  other  part  of  your  letter, 
on  which  I  have  to  say,  that  if  you  think  you  can  do  any  thing 
useful  with  a  thousand  dollars,  you  may  have  that  sum  in  the 
spring,  or  sooner  if  need  be,  on  the  following  conditions  :  1.  You 
must  give  a  note  for  it,  with  reasonable  security.  2.  The  inter 
est  must  be  payable  annually,  and  must  be  paid  at  the  day 
without  fail.  And  so  long  as  this  continues  to  be  done,  the 
money  not  to  be  called  for,  the  principal,  under  six  months' 
notice. 

I  am  thus  explicit  with  you,  because  you  wish  me  to  be  so ; 
and  because,  also,  having  a  little  money,  and  but  a  little,  I  am 
resolved  on  keeping  it.  My  days  of  hard  work  have  been  many, 
too  many  to  be  repeated.  I  must  now  live,  principally  upon 
what  I  have  got ;  and  though  I  am  willing  to  loan  to  my  friends 
in  preference  to  other  modes  of  investment,  in  some  cases,  yet 
in  no  case  can  I  do  so  on  other  conditions  than  as  above. 
Your  hard-hearted  uncle, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

December  28,  1824. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — The  Concord  Register,  under  its  editorial 
head,  gives  a  pretty  correct  account  of  the  closing  scene  in  our 
Senate.  The  Journal  of  the  same  day,  last  Saturday,  has  a 
statement  under  the  hand  of  Mr.  Haven.  I  think  our  Senate 
are  in  a  promising  way  to  be  as  immortal  as  the  New  York 
seventeen. 

If  a  majority  of  our  Senate  are  to  be  believed,  Mr.  Mason  was 
chosen.  When  you  have  the  facts,  I  should  like  very  well  to 
have  an  article  appear  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  on  the  ex 
traordinary  conduct  of  a  majority  who  denied  the  inquiry  into 
the  mistake,  &c.  It  should  appear  as  editorial.  If  it  could  not 
appear  in  the  Intelligencer,  it  might  perhaps  be  inserted  in  the 
National  Journal.  A  well-written  article  would  count  here. 

Our  object  now  is  to  secure  such  a  Senate  and  House  as  will 
elect  Mr.  Mason  next  June.  We  feel  the  importance  of  having 
such  a  man  of  talents  and  integrity  in  our  national  councils. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  359 

We  shall  make  an  effort  from  a  sense  of  duty.     If  you  notice  any 
thing  which  will  have  a  favorable  bearing,  please  to  forward  it. 

We  had  a  campaign  of  seven  weeks.  We  kept  our  armor 
buckled  on  and  slept  upon  our  arms,  and  the  New  Hampshire 
troops  never  did  themselves  more  credit  since  they  fought  at 
Bunker  Hill  and  Bennington. 

Yours,  &c.,  E.  WEBSTER. 


MRS.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

[Boston,]  December  28,  1824. 

I  HAVE  a  great  desire  to  write  to  you,  my  beloved  husband,  but 
I  doubt  if  I  can  write  legibly,  as  I  can  hold  my  pen  but  in  my 
fingers.1  I  have  just  received  your  letter  in  answer  to  William, 
which  told  you  that  dear  little  Charley  was  no  more.  I  have 
dreaded  the  hour  that  should  destroy  your  hopes,  but  trust  you 
will  not  let  this  event  afflict  you  too  much,  and  that  we  both 
shall  be  able  to  resign  him  without  a  murmur,  happy  in  the  re 
flection  that  he  has  returned  to  his  Heavenly  Father  pure  as 
I  received  him.  It  was  an  inexpressible  consolation  to  me,  when 
I  contemplated  him  in  his  sickness,  that  he  had  not  one  regret 
for  the  past,  nor  one  dread  for  the  future  ;  he  was  patient  as  a 
lamb  during  all  his  sufferings,  and  they  were  at  last  so  great,  I 
was  happy  when  they  were  ended. 

I  shall  always  reflect  on  his  brief  life  with  mournful  pleasure, 
and,  I  hope,  remember  with  gratitude  all  the  joy  he  gave  me ; 
and  it  has  been  great.  And  oh  !  how  fondly  did  I  flatter  myself 
it  would  be  lasting. 

"  It  was  but  yesterday,  my  child,  thy  little  heart  beat  high  ; 

And  I  had  scorned  the  warning  voice  that  told  me  thou  must  die." 

Dear  little  Charles !  He  sleeps  alone  under  St.  Paul's.  I  cannot 
express  how  much  I  regret  that  it  did  not  occur  to  any  one  of 
us  to  have  the  dear  remains  of  Grace  removed.  I  thought  much 
of  it  when  the  tomb  of  Mr.  Sullivan  was  opened  for  Mrs.  Sulli 
van's  little  boy.  I  regretted  you  were  not  here  to  consult  upon 

iMrs.  Webster  had  received  an  injury  on  the  thumb  of  the  right  hand. 


360  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

the  subject.  Oh,  do  not,  my  dear  husband,  talk  of  your  own 
"  final  abode ; "  that  is  a  subject  I  never  can  dwell  on  for  a 
moment.  With  you  here,  my  dear,  I  can  never  be  desolate ! 
O  rnay  Heaven  in  its  mercy  long  preserve  you!  and  that  we 
may  ever  wisely  improve  every  event,  and  yet  rejoice  together 
in  this  life,  prays  your  ever  affectionate 

G.  W. 

I  ought  to  mention  William's  unwearied  attention  and  kind 
ness  to  dear  little  Charles.  His  grief  is  great  at  the  loss.  Poor 
Nancy  came  last  Friday ;  she  is  much  afflicted  that  she  did  not 
come  in  time  to  see  the  dear  little  boy  once  more.  She  begs  you 
to  accept  her  sympathy  and  love. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Washington,  December  29,  1824. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — We  have  heard  of  the  adjournment  of  the 
Legislature  of  New  Hampshire  without  having  effected  a  choice 
of  Senator.  Seeing,  towards  the  close,  that  the  Senate  were 
equally  divided,  I  had  some  hope  that  a  choice  might  be  made. 
But,  on  a  general  view,  the  result  is  more  favorable  than  there 
was  reason  to  expect.  So  decisive  a  feeling  in  the  House,  and  an 
equality  in  such  a  Senate,  were  circumstances  showing  very  solid 
strength.  I  am  sure,  my  dear  Sir,  you  have  no  reason  to  regret 
the  occurrences  of  the  session.  They  have  shown  to  the  public 
your  personal  weight  and  consideration  with  the  State ;  and  they 
have  also  given  an  opportunity  for  the  people  of  the  State  to 
learn  your  standing  with  the  community  generally.  Public  opin 
ion,  whenever  expressed,  has  been  uniformly  in  your  favor.  Here, 
I  may  assure  you,  all  considerable  men,  of  all  parties  and  all  as 
sociations,  have  felt  and  expressed  the  same  wishes.  Mr.  Parrot 
is  generally  respected,  and  while  he  was  of  the  number  of  can 
didates,  being  the  present  incumbent,  a  desire  to  have  you  here 
was  naturally  a  little  mitigated  by  a  feeling  of  unwillingness  to 
dispossess  him.  But,  he  being  out  of  the  case,  if  there  were  any 
who  did  not  wish  your  success,  there  were  none  who  ventured 
to  express  such  feelings.  Looking  at  the  matter  at  a  distance, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  361 

and  judging  only  from  the  operation  of  general  causes,  I  should 
think  your  election  was  only  postponed  ;  nothing  else  can  hap 
pen,  certainly,  if  the  House,  now  soon  to  be  elected,  be  like  its 
predecessor.  I  should  not  think  it  of  first  importance  to  turn  out 
those  Senators ;  if  the  House  remain  of  the  same  opinion,  the 
Senate  must  come  to  it. 

I  have  been  home  from  Virginia  a  week.  My  intention  was  to 
go  to  Richmond  and  Norfolk,  from  Monticello,  but  intelligence 
from  home  induced  me  to  return,  without  accomplishing  that 
part  of  my  intention.  We  were  two  days  at  Mr.  Madison's.  He 
was  very  agreeable,  and  treated  us  with  much  hospitality.  He 
keeps  alive  a  stronger  interest  in  passing  events  than  his  more 
advanced  friend.  Mrs.  Madison  is  in  perfect  health,  and  re 
members  all  her  Washington  acquaintances.  At  Mr.  Jefferson's, 
we  remained  five  days.  This  was  something  longer  than  our 
intention,  but  there  came  rains,  which  prevented  our  departure. 
Mr.  Jefferson  is  a  man  of  whom  one  may  form  a  very  just  ac 
count,  as  to  person  and  manners,  from  description  and  pictures. 
We  met  him  in  the  road,  and  I  knew  him  at  once,  although  he 
was  on  horseback,  something  straighter,  and  freer  from  the  debility 
of  age  than  I  had  expected.  We  found  him  uniformly  pleasant, 
social,  and  interesting.  He  talked  less  of  present  things  than 
might  be  expected,  although  in  the  intercourse  with  gentlemen 
under  his  own  roof,  he  did  not  keep  back  his  opinions  on  men 
or  things.  But  if  I  were  to  say  what  appeared  to  be  the  leading 
topics  with  him,  and  those  to  which  his  mind  habitually  turned 
itself,  I  should  mention  three  :  early  anecdotes  of  revolutionary 
times ;  French  society,  politics,  and  literature  such  as  they  were 
when  he  was  in  France,  and  general  literature ;  and  the  Virginia 
university.  On  these  three  general  topics  he  has  much  to  say, 
and  he  says  it  all  well. 

Since  I  returned  here,  I  have  not  been  in  the  way  of  hearing 
much  said  on  the  election  of  President.  It  would  be  difficult,  in 
my  opinion,  to  say  which  of  the  two  leading  candidates  has  the 
best  chance,  but  if  I  were  to  express  an  opinion,  such  as  it  is,  it 
would  be  at  this  moment  that  Mr.  Adams's  chance  is  best.  New 
England,  6 ;  New  York,  Delaware,  Virginia,  Georgia,  North 
Carolina,  Ohio,  Louisiana,  Illinois,  out  of  Jhese  14,  I  think  it 
not  unlikely  Mr.  Adams  may  get  13.  He  may  also  get  New 
Jersey.  It  seems  to  me  that  there  is,  at  this  moment,  rather  a 
VOL.  i.  31 


362  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

reaction  against  General  Jackson ;  a  feeling  somewhat  adverse 
to  giving  fhe  Presidency  to  mere  military  character. 

I  propose  to  do  nothing  this  session  myself  but  a  few  useful 
and  necessary  things ;  such  as  to  provide  for  the  punishment  of 
some  crimes,  now  unprovided  for,  &c.  My  health  is  very  good. 
You  see  what  Mr.  Randolph  said  about  his  letter.  He  had 
talked  with  some  of  the  committee,  and  told  a  story,  material  or 
immaterial,  which  he  thought  they  would  confirm.  I  had  not 
been  spoken  to ;  it  occurred  to  me  at  the  moment  to  be  the  right 
course  to  put  the  main  question  to  him,  coolly  and  quietly,  and 
let  him  answer  or  evade  it,  as  he  chose.  His  course  was  open 
enough  to  remark,  but  I  did  not  wish  to  have  a  quarrel,  or  to  go 
further  than  the  strict  necessity  of  self-defence.  Whether  I 
judged  right  or  not,  I  cannot  tell. 

I  should  be  glad  to  hear  from  you,  now  that  you  have  returned 
from  your  Concord  expedition.  Give  my  remembrance,  affec 
tionately,  to  your  family,  and  believe  me  truly, 

Yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  December  29,  1824. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  have  not  heard  from  you  for  a  long  time,  nor 
had  much  leisure  to  write  since  my  return  from  Virginia.  The 
information  which  has  reached  me  from  home l  must  have 
reached  you  sooner.  I  think  of  this  loss  with  great  grief ;  but  I 
think  also  that  you  lost  all  your  little  boys ;  and  I  hope  to  sustain 
myself  with  the  consciousness,  that  my  blessings  are  still  much 
more  numerous  than  my  afflictions.  I  wish  you  would  some 
times  write  to  my  wife,  it  would  give  her  great  pleasure,  as  I 
think  her  affection  for  you  is  pretty  much  her  first  feeling  out  of 
her  own  family. 

I  had  a  pleasant  journey,  on  many  accounts,  in  Virginia.  Saw 
many  things  and  some  men,  and  had  a  pretty  fair  opportunity 
of  learning  what  Virginia  is.  In  the  ensuing  month,  I  must  pay 

I  Of  the  death  of  his  youngest  son,  Charles. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  363 

some  little  attention  to  the  public  business.  There  is  nothing 
of  great  importance  or  peculiar  interest  in  which  I  expect  to  be 
concerned.  February  must  be  devoted  to  the  court,  and  early  in 
March  I  hope  to  be  home. 

I  have  seen  your  legislative  proceedings  through.  You  have 
come  out  about  where  we  expected,  except  that  having  got  un 
expectedly  half  the  "  committee  on  the  change  of  names,"  you 
unexpectedly,  I  should  think,  failed  to  get  one  more. 

Every  thing  now  depends  on  the  new  House.  If  that  remains 
firm  and  strong,  no  matter  who  the  Senators  are  they  must 
come  in.  I  do  not  see  but  you  must  go  once  more  into  the 
House,  though  I  regret  it,  as  I  had  laid  out  for  a  journey  next 
June.  Constancy  to  Mr.  Mason  seems  to  require  it.  I  should 
like  to  know  what  you  think  of  your  congressional  chance. 

Does  the  law  confine  the  votes  to  you  and  Mr.  Healey  ? 

Will  this  struggle  for  Senator  make  a  pretty  active  election, 
and  will  that  help  or  hurt  you  ?  You  have  districted  the  State. 
Does  Merrimac  County  form  precisely  one  district  ? 

I  wrote  you,  some  time  ago,  for  your  and  Mr.  Mason's  opin 
ion  about  Bunker  Hill ;  you  have  not  given  it  to  me.  In  hopes 
of  hearing  from  you  soon,  I  am,  Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


364         PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 


MEMORANDUM 


OF  MR.  JEFFERSON'S  CONVERSATIONS. 

[In  December,  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-four,  Mr.  Webster,  with  a  party 
of  friends,  visited  Mr.  Madison  and  Mr.  Jefferson  at  their  respective  residences 
in  Virginia.  He  afterward  noted  down  portions  of  the  conversations,  during  the 
visit  to  Mr.  Jefferson,  which,  as  they  are  very  entertaining  and  instructive,  are 
subjoined.] 

December,  1824. 

MR.  JEFFERSON  is  now  between  eighty-one  and  eighty-two, 
above  six  feet  high,  of  an  ample,  long  frame,  rather  thin  and 
spare.  His  head,  which  is  not  peculiar  in  its  shape,  is  set  rather 
forward  on  his  shoulders;  and  his  neck  being  long,  there  is, 
when  he  is  walking  or  conversing,  an  habitual  protrusion  of  it 
It  is  still  well  covered  with  hair,  which  having  been  once  red, 
and  now  turning  gray,  is  of  an  indistinct  sandy  color. 

His  eyes  are  small,  very,  light,  and  now  neither  brilliant  nor 
striking.  His  chin  is  rather  long,  but  not  pointed.  His  nose 
small,  regular  in  its  outline,  and  the  nostrils  a  little  elevated. 
His  mouth  is  well  formed  and  still  filled  with  teeth ;  it  is 
strongly  compressed,  bearing  an  expression  of  contentment  and 
benevolence.  His  complexion,  formerly  light  and  freckled,  now 
bears  the  marks  of  age  and  cutaneous  affection.  His  limbs  are 
uncommonly  long  ;  his  hands  and  feet  very  large,  and  his  wrists 
of  an  extraordinary  size.  His  walk  is  not  precise  and  military, 
but  easy  and  swinging.  He  stoops  a  little,  not  so  much  from 
age  as  from  natural  formation.  When  sitting,  he  appears  short, 
partly  from  a  rather  lounging  habit  of  sitting,  and  partly  from 
the  disproportionate  length  of  his  limbs. 

His  dress,  when  in  the  house,  is  a  gray  surtout  coat,  kersey 
mere  stuff  waistcoat,  with  an  under  one  faced  with  some  ma 
terial  of  a  dingy  red.  His  pantaloons  are  very  long  and  loose, 
and  of  the  same  color  as  his  coat.  His  stockings  are  woollen 
either  white  or  gray ;  and  his  shoes  of  the  kind  that  bear  his 
name.  His  whole  dress  is  very  much  neglected,  but  not  slovenly. 
He  wears  a  common  round  hat.  His  dress,  when  on  horseback, 
is  a  gray  straight-bodied  coat  and  a  spencer  of  the  same  material, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  365 

both  fastened  with  large  pearl  buttons.  "When  we  first  saw  him, 
he  was  riding ;  and,  in  addition  to  the  above  articles  of  apparel, 
wore  round  his  throat  a  knit  white  woollen  tippet,  in  the  place 
of  a  cravat,  and  black  velvet  gaiters  under  his  pantaloons.  His 
general  appearance  indicates  an  extraordinary  degree  of  health, 
vivacity,  and  spirit.  His  sight  is  still  good,  for  he  needs  glasses 
only  in  the  evening.  His  hearing  is  generally  good,  but  a 
number  of  voices  in  animated  conversation  confuses  it. 

Mr.  Jefferson  rises  in  the  morning  as  soon  as  he  can  see  the 
hands  of  his  clock,  which  is  directly  opposite  his  bed,  and 
examines  his  thermometer  immediately,  as  he  keeps  a  regular 
meteorological  diary.  He  employs  himself  chiefly  in  writing 
till  breakfast,  which  is  at  nine.  From  that  time,  till  dinner,  he 
is  in  his  library,  excepting  that  in  fair  weather  he  rides  on  horse 
back  from  seven  to  fourteen  miles.  Dines  at  four,  returns  to 
the  drawing-room  at  six,  when  coffee  is  brought  in,  and  passes 
the  evening  till  nine  in  conversation.  His  habit  of  retiring  at 
that  hour  is  so  strong,  that  it  has  become  essential  to  his  health 
and  comfort.  His  diet  is  simple,  but  he  seems  restrained  only 
by  his  taste.  His  breakfast  is  tea  and  coffee,  bread  always 
fresh  from  the  oven,  of  which  he  does  not  seem  afraid,  with 
sometimes  a  slight  accompaniment  of  cold  meat.  He  enjoys 
his  dinner  well,  taking  with  his  meat  a  large  proportion  of 
vegetables.  He  has  a  strong  preference  for  the  wines  of  the 
continent,  of  which  he  has  many  sorts  of  excellent  quality,  hav 
ing  been  more  than  commonly  successful  in  his  mode  o£mport- 
ing  and  preserving  them.  Among  others,  we  found  the  follow 
ing,  which  are  very  rare  in  this  country,  and  apparently  not  at 
all  injured  by  transportation:  L'Ednau,  Muscat,  Samian,  and 
Blanchette  de  Limoux.  Dinner  is  served  in  half  Virginian,  half 
French  style,  in  good  taste  and  abundance.  No  wine  is  put  on 
the  table  till  the  cloth  is  removed. 

In  conversation,  Mr.  Jefferson  is  easy  and  natural,  and  appar 
ently  not  ambitious ;  it  is  not^  loud,  as  challenging  general 
attention,  but  usually  addressed  to  the  person  next  him.  The 
topics,  when  not  selected  to  suit  the  character  and  feelings  of 
his  auditor,  are  those  subjects  with  which  his  mind  seems  par 
ticularly  occupied ;  and  these,  at  present,  may  be  said  to  be 
science  and  letters,  and  especially  the  University  of  Virginia, 
which  is  coming  into  existence  almost  entirely  from  his  exer- 
31* 


366  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

tionr,  and  will  rise,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  to  usefulness  and  credit 
under  his  continued  care.  When  we  were  with  him,  his  favor 
ite  subjects  were  Greek  and  Anglo-Saxon,  historical  recollections 
of  the  times  and  events  of  the  Revolution,  and  of  his  residence 
in  France  from  1783-4  to  1789. 

[In  the  course  of  the  evening  when  the  preceding  was  written,  from  Mr. 
Webster's  dictation,  the  following  anecdotes  from  Mr.  Jefferson's  conversation 
were  recalled  and  written  down  : — ] 

PATRICK    HENRY. 

Was  originally  a  bar-keeper.  He  was  married  very  young,  and 
going  into  some  business,  on  his  own  account,  was  a  bankrupt 
before  the  year  was  out.  When  I  was  about  the  age  of  fifteen, 
I  left  the  school  here,  to  go  to  the  college  at  Williamsburgh.  I 
stopped  a  few  days  at  a  friend's  in  the  county  of  Louisa.  There 
I  first  saw  and  became  acquainted  with  Patrick  Henry.  Having 
spent  the  Christmas  holidays  there,  I  proceeded  to  Williams- 
burgh.  Some  question  arose  about  my  admission,  as  my  pre 
paratory  studies  had  not  been  pursued  at  the  school  connected 
with  that  institution.  This  delayed  my  admission  about  a  fort 
night,  at  which  time  Henry  appeared  in  Williamsburgh,  and 
applied  for  a  license  to  practise  law,  having  commenced  the 
study  of  it  at  or  subsequently  to  the  time  of  my  meeting  him 
in  Louisa.  There  were  four  examiners,  Wythe,  Pendleton, 
PeytonHlandolph,  and  John  Randolph ;  Wythe  and  Pendleton 
at  once  rejected  his  application.  The  two  Randolphs,  by  his 
importunity,  were  prevailed  upon  to  sign  the  license  ;  and  hav 
ing  obtained  their  signatures,  he  applied  again  to  Pendleton, 
and  after  much  entreaty  and  many  promises  of  future  study, 
succeeded  in  obtaining  his.  He  then  turned  out  for  a  prac 
tising  lawyer.  The  first  case  which  brought  him  into  notice, 
was  a  contested  election,  in  which  he  appeared  as  counsel 
before  a  committee  of  the  House  of  Burgesses.  His  second 
was  the  Parsons  cause,  already  well  known.  These  and  similar 
efforts  soon  obtained  for  him  so  much  reputation,  that  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  legislature.  He  was  as  well  suited  to  the 
times  as  any  man  ever  was,  and  it  is  not  now  easy  to  say  what 
we  should  have  done  without  Patrick  Henry.  He  was  far  before 
all  in  maintaining  the  spirit  of  the  Revolution.  His  influence 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  367 

was  most  extensive  with  the  members  from  the  upper  counties, 
and  his  boldness  and  their  votes  overawed  and  controlled  the 
more  cool  or  the  more  timid  aristocratic  gentlemen  of  the  lower 
part  of  the  State.  His  eloquence  was  peculiar,  if  indeed  it 
should  be  called  eloquence ;  for  it  was  impressive  and  sublime, 
beyond  what  can  be  imagined.  Although  it  was  difficult  when 
he  had  spoken  to  tell  what  he  had  said,  yet,  while  he  was  speak 
ing,  it  always  seemed  directly  to  the  point.  When  he  had 
spoken  in  opposition  to  my  opinion,  had  produced  a  great  effect, 
and  I  myself  been  highly  delighted  and  moved,  I  have  asked  my 
self  when  he  ceased :  "  What  the  d — 1  has  he  said  ?  "  I  could 
never  answer  the  inquiry.  His  person  was  of  full  size,  and  his 
manner  and  voice  free  and  manly.  His  utterance  neither  very 
fast  nor  very  slow.  His  speeches  generally  short,  from  a  quar 
ter  to  a  half  an  hour.  His  pronunciation  was  vulgar  and  vicious, 
but  it  was  forgotten  while  he  was  speaking. 

'  He  was  a  man  of  very  little  knowledge  of  any  sort ;  he  read 
nothing,  and  had  no  books.  Returning  one  November  from  Albe- 
marle  court,  he  borrowed  of  me  Hume's  Essays,  in  two  volumes, 
saying  he  should  have  leisure  in  the  winter  for  reading.  In  the 
spring  he  returned  them,  and  declared  he  had  not  been  able  to  go 
further  than  twenty  or  thirty  pages  in  the  first  volume.  He  wrote 
almost  nothing — he  could  not  write.  The  resolutions  of  '75, 
which  have  been  ascribed  to  him,  have  by  many  been  supposed 
to  have  been  written  by  Mr.  Johnson,  who  acted  as  his  second  on 
that  occasion ;  but  if  they  were  written  by  Henry  hirrfself,  they 
are  not  such  as  to  prove  any  power  of  composition.  Neither  in 
politics  nor  in  his  profession  was  he  a  man  of  business ;  he  was 
a  man  for  debate  only.  His  biographer  says  that  he  read  Plu 
tarch  every  year.  1  doubt  whether  he  ever  read  a  volume  of  it 
in  his  life.  His  temper  was  excellent,  and  he  generally  observed 
decorum  in  debate.  On  one  or  two  occasions  I  have  seen  him 
angry,  and  his  anger  was  terrible  ;  those  who  witnessed  it,  were 
not  disposed  to  rouse  it  again.  In  his  opinions  he  was  yielding 
and  practicable  and  not  disposed  to  differ  from  his  friends.  In 
private  conversation,  he  was  agreeable  and  facetious,  and,  while 
in  genteel  society,  appeared  to  understand  all  the  decencies  and 
proprieties  of  it ;  but,  in  his  heart,  he  preferred  low  society,  and 
sought  it  as  often  as  possible.  He  would  hunt  in  the  pine  woods 
of  Fluvannah,  with  overseers,  and  people  of  that  description, 


368  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

living  in  a  camp  for  a  fortnight  at  a  time  without  a  change  of 
raiment.  I  have  often  been  astonished  at  his  command  of 
proper  language ;  how  he  attained  the  knowledge  of  it,  I  never 
could  find  out,  as  he  read  so  little  and  conversed  little  with 
educated  men.  After  all,  it  must  be  allowed  that  he  was  our 
leader  in  the  measures  of  the  Revolution,  in  Virginia.  In  that 
respect  more  was  due  to  him  than  any  other  person.  If  we  had 
not  had  him  we  should  probably  have  got  on  pretty  well,  as  you 
did,  by  a  number  of  men  of  nearly  equal  talents,  but  he  left  us 
all  far  behind.  His  biographer  sent  the  sheets  of  his  work  to 
me  as  they  were  printed,  and  at  the  end  asked  for  my  opinion. 
I  told  him  it  would  be  a  question  hereafter,  whether  his  work 
should  be  placed  on  the  shelf  of  history  or  of  panegyric.  It  is  a 
poor  book  written  in  bad  taste,  and  gives  so  imperfect  an  idea 
of  Patrick  Henry,  that  it  seems  intended  to  show  off  the  writer 
more  than  the  subject  of  the  work. 


Throughout  the  whole  Revolution,  Virginia  and  the  four 
New  England  States  acted  together ;  indeed,  they  made  the 
Revolution.  Their  five  votes  were  always  to  be  counted  on ; 
but  they  had  to  pick  up  the  remaining  two  for  a  majority,  when 
and  where  they  could. 


About  the  time  of  the  Boston  Port  Bill,  the  patriotic  feeling 
in  Virginia  had  become  languid  and  worn  out,  from  some 
cause  or  other.  It  was  thought  by  some  of  us  to  be  absolutely 
necessary  to  excite  the  people ;  but  we  hardly  knew  the  right 
means.  At  length  it  occurred  to  us  to  make  grave  faces  and 
propose  a  fast.  Some  of  us,  who  were  the  younger  members 
of  the  assembly,  resolved  upon  the  measure.  We  thought 
Oliver  Cromwell  would  be  a  good  guide  in  such  a  case.  So 
we  looked  into  Rushworth,  and  drew  up  our  resolutions  after  the 
most  pious  and  praiseworthy  examples.  It  would  hardly  have 
been  in  character  for  us  to  present  them  ourselves.  We  applied 
therefore  to  Mr.  Nicholas,  a  grave  and  religious  man ;  he  pro 
posed  them  in  a  set  and  solemn  speech ;  some  of  us  gravely 
seconded  him,  and  the  resolutions  were  passed  unanimously. 
If  any  debate  had  occurred,  or  if  they  had  been  postponed  for 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  369 

consideration,  there  was  no  chance  that  they  would  have  been 
passed.  The  next  morning  Lord  Bottetourt,  the  governor,  sum 
moned  the  assembly  to  his  presence,  and  said  to  them :  "  I  have 
heard  of  your  proceedings  of  yesterday,  and  augur  ill  of  their 
effects.  His  Majesty's  interest  requires  that  you  be  dissolved, 
and  you  are  dissolved."  Another  election  taking  place  soon 
afterwards,  such  was  the  spirit  of  the  times,  that  every  member 
of  the  assembly,  without  an  individual  exception,  was  re-elected. 
Our  fast  produced  very  considerable  effect.  We  all  agreed 
to  go  home  and  see  that  preachers  were  provided  in  our  counties, 
and  notice  given  to  our  people.  I  came  home  to  my  own 
county,  provided  a  preacher,  and  notified  the  people,  who  came 
together  in  great  multitudes,  wondering  what  it  meant. 


Lord  Bottetourt  was  an  honorable  man.  His  government  had 
authorized  him  to  make  certain  assurances  to  the  people  here, 
which  he  made  accordingly.  He  wrote  to  the  minister  that  he 
had  made  these  assurances,  and  that,  unless  he  should  be  enabled 
to  fulfil  them,  he  must  retire  from  his  situation.  This  letter  he 
sent  unsealed  to  Peyton  Randolph  for  his  inspection.  Lord 
Bottetourt's  great  respectability,  his  character  for  integrity,  and 
his  general  popularity,  would  have  enabled  him  to  embarrass  the 
measures  of  the  patriots  exceedingly.  His  death  was,  therefore, 
a  fortunate  event  for  the  cause  of  the  Revolution.  He  was  the 
first  governor  in  chief  that  had  ever  come  over  to  Virginia. 
Before  his  time,  we  had  received  only  deputies,  the  governor 
residing  in  England,  with  a  salary  of  five  thousand  pounds,  and 
paying  his  deputy  one  thousand  pounds. 


When  Congress  met,  Patrick  Henry  and  Richard  Henry  Lee 
opened  the  subject  with  great  ability  and  eloquence.  So  much 
so,  that  Paca  and  Chase,  delegates  from  Maryland,  said  to  each 
other  as  they  returned  from  the  House :  "  We  shall  not  be 
wanted  here  ;  those  gentlemen  from  Virginia  will  be  able  to  do 
every  thing  without  us."  But  neither  Henry  nor  Lee  were  men 
of  business,  and  having  made  strong  and  eloquent  general 
speeches,  they  had  done  all  they  could.  • 

It  was  thought  advisable  that  two  papers  should  be  drawn  up, 


370  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

one,  an  address  to  the  people  of  England,  and  the  other,  an  ad 
dress,  I  think,  to  the  king.  Committees  were  raised  for  these 
purposes,  and  Henry  was  at  the  head  of  the  first,  and  Lee  of 
the  second. 

When  the  address  to  the  people  of  England  was  reported, 
Congress  heard  it  with  utter  amazement.  vlt  was  miserably 
written  and  good  for  nothing.  At  length  Governor  Livingston 
of  New  Jersey,  ventured  to  break  silence.  After  complimenting 
the  author,  he  said  he  thought  some  other  ideas  might  be  use 
fully  added  to  his  draft  of  the  address.  Some  such  paper  had 
been  for  a  considerable  time  contemplated,  and  he  believed  a 
friend  of  his  had  tried  his  hand  in  the  composition  of  one.  He 
thought  if  the  subject  were  again  committed,  some  improvement 
in  the  present  draft  might  be  made.  It  was  accordingly  recom 
mitted,  and  the  address  which  had  been  alluded  to  by  Governor 
Livingston,  and  which  was  written  by  John  Jay,  was  reported 
by  the  committee,  and  adopted  as  it  now  appears. 

It  is,  in  my  opinion,  one  of  the  very  best  state  papers  which 
the  Revolution  produced. 


Richard  Henry  Lee  moved  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
in  pursuance  of  the  resolutions  of  the  assembly  of  Virginia, 
and  only  because  he  was  the  oldest  member  of  the  Virginia 
delegation. 


The  Declaration  of  Independence  was  written  in  a  house  on 
the  north  side  of  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia,  between  third 
and  fourth,  not  a  corner  house.  Heiskell's  tavern,  which  has 
been  pointed  out  as  the  house,  is  not  the  true  one. 


For  depth  of  purpose,  zeal,  and  sagacity,  no  man  in  Congress 
exceeded,  if  any  equalled  Sam.  Adams;  and  none  did  more 
than  he  to  originate  and  -  sustain  revolutionary  measures  in 
Congress.  But  he  could  not  speak ;  he  had  a  hesitating,  grunt 
ing  manner. 

John  Adams  Was  our  Colossus  on  the  floor.  He  was  not 
graceful,  nor  elegant,  nor  remarkably  fluent ;  but  he  came  out, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  371 

occasionally,  with   a  power   of  thought  and  expression   that 
moved  us  from  our  seats. 


I  feel  much  alarmed  at  the  prospect  of  seeing  General  Jack 
son  President.  He  is  one  of  the  most  unfit  men  I  know  of  for 
such  a  place.  He  has  had  very  little  respect  for  laws  or  con 
stitutions,  and  is,  in  fact,  an  able  military  chief.  His  passions 
are  terrible.  When  I  was  President  of  the  Senate  he  was  a 
Senator ,  and  he  could  never  speak  on  account  of  the  rashness 
of  his  feelings.  I  have  seen  him  attempt  it  repeatedly,  and  as 
often  choke  with  rage.  His  passions  are  no  doubt  cooler  now ; 
he  has  been  much  tried  since  I  knew  him,  but  he  is  a  dangerous 
man. 


When  I  was  in  France,  the  Marquis  de  Chasteleux  carried 
me  over  to  Buffon's  residence  in  the  country,  and  introduced 
me  to  him. 

It  was  Buffon's  practice  to  remain  in  his  study  tiU  dinner 
time,  and  receive  no  visitors  under  any  pretence ;  but  his  house 
was  open  and  his  grounds,  and  a  servant  showed  them  very 
civilly,  and  invited  all  strangers  and  friends  to  remain  to  dine. 
We  saw  Buffon  in  the  garden,  but  carefully  avoided  him ;  but 
we  dined  with  him,  and  he  proved  himself  then,  as  he  always 
did,  a  man  of  extraordinary  powers  in  conversation.  He  did 
not  declaim  ;  he  was  singularly  agreeable. 

I  was  introduced  to  him  as  Mr.  Jefferson,  who,  in  some  notes 
on  Virginia,  had  combated  some  of  his  opinions.  Instead  of 
entering  into  an  argument,  he  took  down  his  last  work,  pre 
sented  it  to  me,  and  said,  "  When  Mr.  Jefferson  shall  have  read 
this,  he  will  be  perfectly  satisfied  that  I  am  right." 

Being  about  to  embark  from  Philadelphia  for  France,  1 
observed  an  uncommonly  large  panther  skin  at  the  door  of  a 
hatter's  shop.  I  bought  it  for  half  a  Jo  (sixteen  dollars)  on  the 
spot,  determining  to  carry  it  to  France  to  convince  Monsieur 
Buffon  of  his  mistake  in  relation  to  this  animal ;  which  he  had 
confounded  with  the  cougar.  He  acknowledged  his  mistake, 
and  said  he  would  correct  it  in  his  next  volume. 

I  attempted  also  to  convince  him  of  his  error  in  relation  to 


372  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

the  common  deer,  and  the  moose  of  America ;  he  having  con 
founded  our  deer  with  the  red  deer  of  Europe,  and  our  moose 
with  the  reindeer.  I  told  him  that  our  deer  had  horns  two 
feet  long;  he  replied  with  warmth,  that  if  I  could  produce  a 
single  specimen,  with  horns  one  foot  long,  he  would  give  up  the 
question.  Upon  this  I  wrote  to  Virginia  for  the  horns  of  one 
of  our  deer,  and  obtained  a  very  good  specimen,  four  feet  long. 
I  told  him  also  that  the  reindeer  could  walk  under  the  belly  of 
our  moose ;  but  he  entirely  scouted  the  idea.  Whereupon  I 
wrote  to  General  Sullivan  of  New  Hampshire.  I  desired  him 
to  send  me  the  bones,  skin,  and  antlers  of  our  moose,  supposing 
they  could  easily  be  procured  by  him.  Six  months  afterwards 
my  agent  in  England  advised  me  that  General  Sullivan  had 
drawn  on  him  for  forty  guineas.  I  had  forgotten  my  request, 
and  wondered  why  such  a  draft  had  been  made,  but  I  paid  it  at 
once.  A  little  later  came  a  letter  from  General  Sullivan,  setting 
forth  the  manner  in  which  he  had  complied  with  my  request. 
He  had  been  obliged  to  raise  a  company  of  nearly  twenty  men, 
had  made  an  excursion  towards  the  White  Hills,  camping  out 
many  nights,  and  had  at  last  after  many  difficulties  caught  my 
moose,  boiled  his  bones  in  the  desert,  stuffed  his  skin  and 
remitted  him  to  me.  This  accounted  for  my  debt  and  con 
vinced  Mr.  Buffon.  He  promised  in  his  next  volume  to  set 
these  things  right  also,  but  he  died  directly  afterwards. 


Madame  Houdetot's  society  was  one  of  the  most  agreeable 
in  Paris  when  I  was  there.  She  inherited  the  materials  of 
which  it  was  composed  from  Madame  de  Terrier  and  Madame 
Geonrin.  St.  Lambert  was  always  there,  and  it  was  generally 
believed  that  every  evening  on  his  return  home,  he  wrote  down 
the  substance  of  the  conversations  he  had  held  there  with 
D'Alembert,  Diderot,  and  the  other  distinguished  persons,  who 
frequented  her  house.  From  these  conversations  he  made  his 
books. 


I  -knew  the  Baron  de  Grignon  very  well ;  he  was  quite  -ugly, 
and  one  of  his  legs  was  shorter  than  the  other  ;  but  he  was  the 
most  agreeable  person  in  French  society,  and  his  opinion  was 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  373 

always  considered  decisive  in  matters  relating  to  the  theatre  and 
painting.  His  persiflage  was  the  keenest  and  most  provoking 
I  ever  knew. 


Madame  Necker  was  a  very  sincere  and  excellent  woman, 
but  she  was  not  very  pleasant  in  conversation,  for  she  was 
subject  to  what  in  Virginia  we  call  the  "  Budge,"  that  is,  she  was 
very  nervous  and  fidgety.  She  could  rarely  remain  long  in  the 
same  place,  or  converse  long  on  the  same  subject.  I  have 
known  her  get  up  from  table  five  or  six  times  in  the  course 
of  the  dinner,  and  walk  up  and  down  her  saloon  to  compose 
herself. 


Marmontel  was  a  very  amusing  man.  He  dined  with  me 
every  Thursday  for  a  long  time,  and  I  think  told  some  of  the 
most  agreeable  stories  I  ever  heard  in  my  life.  After  his  death, 
I  found  almost  all  of  them  in  his  memoirs,  and  I  dare  say  he 
told  them  so  well  because  he  had  written  them  before  in  his 
book. 


Mr.  Pickering  would  make  a  radical  lexicon.  It  would 
do  more  than  any  thing  else  in  the  present  state  of  the  matter,  to 
promote  the  study  of  Greek  among  us.  Jones's  Greek  Lexicon 
is  very  poor.  I  have  been  much  disappointed  in  it.  The  best 
I  have  ever  used  is  the  Greek  and  French  one  by  Planche. 


VOL.  i.  32 


374  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  January  13,  1825. 

I  AM  much  obliged  to  you  for  yours  of  the  10th.  It  gave  me 
much  information  that  I  wanted.  I  trust  you  have  not  for 
gotten  to  write  me  again,  having  seen  Mr.  Mason  at  the  court. 

I  hope  you  will  pay  all  proper  attention  to  your  approaching 
election.  The  Patriot  man,  I  perceive,  is  very  angry,  and  will 
be  very  active.  If  you  save  the  House  you  will  save  all.  I  hope 
that  public  opinion  everywhere  for  Mr.  Mason,  will  have  some 
effect  on  the  people  of  New  Hampshire. 

As  the  9th  February  approaches,  we  begin  to  hear  a  little 
more  about  the  election.  I  think  some  important  indications 
will  be  made  soon.  A  main  inquiry  is,  in  what  direction  Mr. 
Clay  and  his  friends  will  move.  There  would  seem  at  present 
to  be  some  reason  to  think  they  will  take  a  part  finally  for  Mr. 
Adams.  This  will  not  necessarily  be  decisive,  but  it  will  be 
very  important.  After  all,  I  cannot  predict  results.  I  believe 
Mr.  Adams  might  be  chosen  if  he  or  his  friends  would  act. 
somewhat  differently.  But  if  he  has  good  counsellors,  I  know 
not  who  they  are.  If  Mr.  Clay's  friends  should  join  Mr.  Craw 
ford's,  it  would  probably  put  him  ahead  of  Mr.  Adams,  the  first 
ballot,  and,  that  being  done,  I  know  not  what  might  follow. 

I  should  like  to  know  your  opinion  of  what  is  proper  to  be 
done  in  two  or  three  contingencies. 

1.  If  on  the  first  or  any  subsequent  ballot  Mr.  Adams  falls 
behind  Mr.  Crawford,  and  remains  so  a  day  or  two,  shall  we 
hold  out  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  or  shall  we  vote  for  one  of 
the  highest  ? 

2.  If  for  one  of  the  highest,  say  Jackson  and  Crawford,  for 
which  ? 

3.  Is  it  advisable,  under  any  circumstances,  to  hold  out  and 
leave  the  chair  to  Mr.  Calhoun  ? 

4.  Would  or  would  not  New  England  prefer  conferring  the 
power  on  Calhoun,  to  a  choice  of  General  Jackson  ? 

On  these  and  other  similar  points,  I  want  your  full  opinion 
by  the  first  of  next  month. 

I  shall  write  you  again  in  a  day  or  two. 

Yours,  D.  W. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  375 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

January  15,  1825. 

I  HAVE  written  to  the  boys,1  that  I  will  help  them  a  little,  if 
you  are  satisfied  it  would  do  them  good.  I  have  told  them 
that  one  of  them  would  do  well  to  come  to  Boscawen.  I  am 
willing  to  give  them  outright  what  I  can  afford;  or  to  help 
them  in  any  other  way  you  may  think  best.  If  two  hundred 
dollars  each  would  certainly  pay  their  debts,  it  is  pity  they 
should  not  have  it.  Please  write  them  an  encouraging  word ; 
and  if  they  come  down  let  them  have  what  you  think  proper ; 
preferring,  if  it  can  be  done,  to  make  a  small  gift  rather  than  a 
large  loan.  I  would  be  willing  to  give  them  one  hundre-d  dol 
lars  each. 

Yours,  D.  W. 


MRS.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Saturday  Morning,  January  22,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  HUSBAND, — I  was  sitting  alone  in  my  chamber 
reflecting  on  the  brief  life  of  our  sainted  little  boy,  when  your 
letter  came  enclosing  those  lines  of  yours,  which  to  a  "  mother's 
eye "  are  precious.  O !  my  husband,  have  not  some  of  our 
brightest  hopes  perished !  "  Our  fairest  flowers  are  indeed  blos 
soms  gathered  for  the  tomb."  But  do  not,  my  dear  husband,  do 
not  let  these  afflictions  weigh  too  heavily  upon  you ;  those  dear 
children  who  had  such  strong  holds  on  us  while  here,  now 
allure  us  to  Heaven. 

"  On  us  with  looks  of  love  they  bend, 
For  us  the  Lord  of  life  implore, 
And  oft  from  sainted  bliss  descend, 
Our  wounded  spirits  to  restore." 

Farewell,  my  beloved  husband !  I  have  not  time  to  write  more, 
only  to  say  I  regret  you  have  lost  the  pleasure  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 

1  Nephews  residing  in  Canada. 


376  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Ticknor's  society,  which  you  so  much  need.  I  fear  Mrs. 
Dwight  is  not  much  benefited  by  her  voyage,  so  the  last  ac 
counts  appear  ;  though  at  first  they  thought  her  better. 

The  children  are  tolerably  well,  though  not  free  from  colds. 
Your  ever  affectionate,  G.  W. 


LINES    ON    THE    DEATH     OF     HIS     SON     CHARLES,  BY     MR.    WEBSTER. 

MY  son,  thou  wast  my  heart's  delight, 
Thy  morn  of  life  was  gay  and  cheery ; 
That  morn  has  rushed  to  sudden  night, 
Thy  father's  house  is  sad  and  dreary. 

I  held  thee  on  my  knee,  my  son ! 

And  kissed  thee  laughing,  kissed  thee  weeping ; 

But  ah  !  thy  little  day  is  done, 

Thou'rt  with  thy  angel  sister  sleeping. 

The  staff,  on  which  my  years  should  lean, 
Is  broken,  ere  those  years  come  o'er  me ; 
My  funeral  rites  thou  shoulds't  have  seen, 
But  thou  art  in  the  tomb  before  me. 

Thou  rear'st  to  me  no  filial  stone, 

No  parent's  grave  with  tears  beholdest ; 

Thou  art  my  ancestor,  my  son ! 

And  stand'st  in  Heaven's  account  the  oldest 

On  earth  my  lot  was  soonest  cast, 
Thy  generation  after  mine, 
Thou  hast  thy  predecessor  past ; 
Earlier  eternity  is  thine. 

I  should  have  set  before  thine  eyes 
The  road  to  Heaven,  and  showed  it  clear ; 
But  thou  untaught  springs't  to  the  skies, 
And  leav'st  thy  teacher  lingering  here. 

Sweet  Seraph,  I  would  learn  of  thee, 
And  hasten  to  partake  thy  bliss ! 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  377 

And  oh !  to  thy  world  welcome  me, 
As  first  I  welcomed  thee  to  this. 

Dear  Angel,  thou  art  safe  in  heaven ; 
No  prayers  for  thee  need  more  be  made ; 
Oh !  let  thy  prayers  for  those  be  given 
Who  oft  have  blessed  thy  infant  head. 

My  Father !  I  beheld  thee  born, 
And  led  thy  tottering  steps  with  care ; 
Before  me  risen  to  Heaven's  bright  morn, 
My  son !  My  Father !  guide  me  there. 


MR.    WARFIELD    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

(CONFIDENTIAL.) 

Washington,  February  3,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  induced  from  the  good  feelings  which  I 
trust  have  always  existed  between  us,  to  make  to  you  this 
communication.  The  approaching  presidential  election  gives 
me  great  anxiety.  I  am  peculiarly  situated;  for  although 
directly  and  indirectly  I  have  been  applied  to,  at  least,  I  am 
sure,  in  a  hundred  instances,  I  have  never  expressed  to  a  human 
being  the  vote  I  intend  to  give.  The  representation,  as  you 
know,  is  composed  of  nine  members  from  Maryland;  every 
member  except  myself  has  expressed  his  opinion.  The  awful 
responsibility  of  the  vote  of  that  State  may  devolve  on  me. 
Nay,  more,  situated  as  the  votes  of  the  different  States  are, 
Maryland  may  make  the  President  on  the  first  ballot.  Now, 
Sir,  I  am  oppressed  with  this  difficulty.  Those  with  whom  I 
am  in  the  habit  of  associating  in  Maryland,  are  for  the  most, 
part  called  Federal,  and  they  constantly  express  to  me  their 
apprehensions  that,  should  Mr.  Adams  be  the  President,  he  will 
administer  the  government  on  party  considerations;  that  the 
old  landmarks  of  party  distinction  will  be  built  up ;  that  an 
exclusion  of  all  participation  in  office  will  be  enforced  with 
regard  to  those  who  have  hitherto  been  denominated  Federals. 
I  cannot  for  my  own  part  believe  that  such  a  course  would  be 
32* 


378  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

pursued.  I  should  trust  that  Mr.  Adams's  administration  would 
be  conducted  on  liberal  and  independent  grounds;  and  that, 
regardless  of  names,  he  would  not  deny  to  talent,  integrity,  and 
competency  a  due  participation.  For  in  truth  I  consider  all  the 
old  party  distinctions  to  exist  only  in  the  name.  I  shall  feel 
particularly  obliged  if  you  will  give  me  your  candid  opinion  on 
these  points. 

I  am  with  true  esteem,  yours, 

HENRY  R.  WARFIELD. 


MR.  WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WARFIELD. 

House  of  Representatives,  Febmary  5,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  received  your  note  of  yesterday,  and 
reflected  on  its  contents,  and  am  very  willing  to  answer  it,  as 
far  as  I  can,  without  incurring  the  danger  of  misleading  you  in 
the  discharge  of  the  delicate  and  important  trust  belonging  to 
your  present  situation. 

I  must  remark  in  the  first  place,  that  my  acquaintance  with 
Mr.  Adams,  although  friendly  and  respectful,  I  hope,  on  both 
sides,  certainly  so  on  mine,  is  not  particular.  I  can  say  nothing, 
therefore,  on  the  present  occasion,  by  any  authority  derived  from 
him. 

Being  in  a  situation,  however,  not  altogether  unlike  your  own, 
I  have  naturally  been  anxious,  like  yourself,  to  form  an  opinion 
as  to  what  would  be  his  course  of  administration,  in  regard  to 
the  subject  alluded  to  by  you.  For  myself,  I  am  satisfied,  and 
shall  give  him  my  vote,  cheerfully  and  steadily.  And  I  am 
ready  to  say  that  I  should  not  do  so,  if  I  did  not  believe  that  he 
would  administer  the  government  on  liberal  principles,  not  ex 
cluding  Federalists,  as  such,  from  his  regard  and  confidence. 

I  entertain  this  feeling  not  because  I  wish  to  see  any  number 
of  offices,  or  any  particular  office,  given  to  those  who  have 
been  called  Federalists ;  nor  because  there  is  a  number  of  such 
individuals,  or  any  one,  that  I  particularly  desire  to  see  employed 
in  the  public  service ;  but  because  the  time  is  come,  in  my  opin 
ion,  when  we  have  a  right  to  know  whether  a  particular  political 
name,  in  reference  to  former  parties,  is,  of  itself,  to  be  regarded 
as  cause  of  exclusion. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  379 

I  wish  to  see  nothing  like  a  portioning,  parcelling  out,  or 
distributing  offices  of  trust  among  men  called  by  different  de 
nominations.  Such  a  proceeding  would  be  to  acknowledge  and 
to  regard  the  existence  of  distinctions  ;  whereas  my  wish  is,  that 
distinctions  should  be  disregarded.  What  I  think  just  and  rea 
sonable  to  be  expected,  is,  that  by  some  one  clear  and  distinct 
case,  it  may  be  shown  that  the  distinction  above  alluded  to  does 
not  operate  as  cause  of  exclusion.  Some  such  case  will  doubt 
less  present  itself,  and  may  be  embraced,  probably,  in  proper 
time  and  manner,  if  thought  expedient  to  embrace  it,  without 
prejudice  to  the  pretensions  or  claims  of  individuals.  The  gov 
ernment  will  then  be  left  at  liberty  to  call  to  the  public  service 
the  best  ability  and  the  purest  character.  It  will  then  be  under 
stood  that  the  field  is  open,  and  that  men  are  to  stand  according 
to  their  individual  merits.  So  far  as  this,  I  think  it  just  to  expect 
the  next  administration  to  go.  At  any  rate,  it  is  natural  to  wish 
to  know  what  may  probably  be  expected  in  this  regard. 

While  with  these  sentiments,  which,  my  dear  Sir,  are  as  strong 
in  my  breast  as  they  can  be  in  yours,  I  am  willing  to  support 
Mr.  Adams,  and  to  give  him  my  vote  and  influence,  I  must 
again  remind  you  that  my  judgment  is  made  up,  not  from  any 
understanding  or  communication  with  him,  but  from  general 
considerations ;  from  what  I  think  I  know  of  his  liberal  feelings, 
from  his  good  sense  and  judgment,  and  from  the  force  of  cir 
cumstances.  I  assure  you,  very  sincerely,  that  I  have  a  full 
confidence  that  Mr.  Adams's  administration  will  be  just  and 
liberal  towards  Federalists  as  towards  others ;  and  I  need  not 
say  that  there  is  no  individual  who  would  feel  more  pain  than 
myself,  if  you  and  the  rest  of  our  friends  should  ever  find 
reason  to  doubt  the  solidity  of  the  foundation  on  which  this 
confidence  rests. 

NOTE.  I  read  this,  precisely  as  it  now  stands  here,  to  Mr. 
Adams,  on  the  evening  of  February  4.  He  said,  when  I  had  got 
through,  that  the  letter  expressed  his  general  sentiments,  and  such 
as  he  was  willing  to  have  understood  as  his  sentiments.  There 
was  one  particular,  however,  on  which  he  wished  to  make  a 
remark.  The  letter  seemed  to  require  him,  or  expect  him,  to 
place  one  Federalist  in  the  administration.  Here  I  interrupted 
him,  and  told  him  he  had  misinterpreted  the  writer's  meaning. 


380  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

That  the  letter  did  not  speak  of  those  appointments  called  cabinet 
appointments  particularly,  but  of  appointments  generally.  With 
that  understanding  he  said  the  letter  contained  his  opinions,  and 
he  should  feel  it  his  duty,  by  some  such  appointment,  to  mark 
his  desire  of  disregarding  party  distinctions.  He  thought  either 
of  them,  if  elected,  must  necessarily  act  liberally  in  this  respect. 
In  consequence  of  this  conversation,  I  interlined,  in  this  letter, 
the  words,  "  in  proper  time  and  manner."  I  made  no  other 
alteration  in  it. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  TO  EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 

February  4,  [1825.] 

WE  have  a  little  excitement  here,  as  you  will  see ;  but  there 
is  less  than  there  seems.  Mr.  Clay's  ill-judged  card  has  pro 
duced  an  avowal,  or  sort  of  avowal,  which  makes  the  whole 
thing  look  ridiculous.  Mr.  Kremer  is  a  man  with  whom  one 
would  think  of  having  a  shot,  about  as  soon  as  with  your  neigh 
bor,  Mr.  Simeon  Atkinson,  whom  he  somewhat  resembles. 

Mr.  Adams,  I  believe,  and  have  no  doubt,  will  be  chosen, 
probably  the  first  day. 

Judge  L.  means  to  go  home  so  as  to  be  at  Haverhill,  C.  C.  P. 
He  has  received  Mr.  Kelly's  letter,  and  expresses,  in  general 
terms,  friendly  feelings  towards  him. 

How  do  you  come  on  in  your  various  matters  ? 

Yours,  D.  W. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  February  16,  1825. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — You  are  acquainted  with  all  the  particulars 
of  the  election.  The  appointments  are  now  under  consideration. 
Mr.  Clay  will  be  Secretary  of  State ;  Mr.  Southard,  &c.  will 
remain.  For  the  War,  De  Witt  Clinton,  John  W.  Taylor,  and 
Mr.  McLean,  the  present  Postmaster-General,  are  spoken  of. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  381 

JFor  Treasury,  Mr.  Cheves.  I  know  not  now  how  these  appoint 
ments  will  go  ;  but,  perhaps,  may  know  before  evening.  If  there 
is  any  faith  in  man,  we  shall  have  a  liberal  administration.  I 
think  it  not  unlikely  that  if  it  were  pressed,  there  might  be  a 
Federalist  in  the  cabinet,  but  our  friends  are  not  at  all  satisfied 
that  such  a  measure  would  be  discreet  at  this  moment.  No 
doubt  the  true  course  at  present  is  to  maintain  the  administra 
tion,  and  give  it  a  fair  chance.  We  may  be  deceived,  but  if  we 
are,  it  will  be  gross  deception. 

I  have  strong  hopes  that  Mr.  Mason  will  be  elected,  unless 
your  spring  elections  should  go  very  bad.  He  will  stand  as  a 
friend  to  the  government  and  the  new  elected  President,  and 
his  principal  opponent  will  be  e  contra.  In  this  state  of  the 
question  causes  will  then  act  strongly  which  last  session  only 
acted  feebly.  Mr.  Dinsmore  will  not  be  chosen,  I  predict.  It 
will  lie  between  Mr.  Mason  and  Mr.  Parrott. 

I  see  by  the  New  Hampshire  papers  that  the  State  is  getting 
a  little  excited.  I  should  like  to  hear  how  things  look,  and  to 
know  whether  every  body  acquiesces  in  the  election  quietly. 

Yours, 

D.  W. 


f^-l  have  more  to  say  than  a  P.  S.  will  suffice  for. 
Go  on  ;  support  Mr.  A.  Get  elected  if  you  can.  There  is  no 
great  danger  of  Mr.  Mason;  there  is  more  time  in  his  case. 
Every  thing  looks  well. 

D.  W. 


MR.    MADISON    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Montpelier,  February  25,  1825. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  must  not  let  the  session  of  Congress  close  with 
out  returning  my  thanks  for  the  printed  documents  for  which  I 
was  indebted,  as  appeared,  to  your  friendly  politeness.  Though 
they  find  their  way  to  me  through  the  daily  vehicles,  there  is  an 
advantage  in  possessing  them  in  a  more  compact  as  well  as  less 
perishable  form.  Among  the  characteristic  attributes  of  our 
government  is  its  frankness  in  giving  publicity  to  proceedings, 
elsewhere  locked  up  as  arcana  of  state ;  and  it  will  always  be 


382  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

happy  when  they  will  so  well  bear  the  light ;  or  rather,  so  much 
contribute  to  the  reputation  of  our  own  country  and  the  edifica 
tion  of  others. 

Be  pleased  to  accept,  Sir,  assurances  of  my  high  esteem  and 
cordial  respect. 

JAMES  MADISON. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 
(EXTRACT.) 

Washington,  March  15,  [1825.] 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  expected  a  letter  from  you  to-day,  with 
regard  to  the  election.  As  it  has  not  come,  I  infer  that  you 
have  little  good  to  communicate ;  an  inference  in  which  I  am 
strengthened  by  seeing  the  disagreeable  result  in  Portsmouth. 

I  still  believe  that  this  is  but  the  last  gasp  of  selfishness  and 
party,  and  that  better  days  are  coming.  At  any  rate,  he  who 
loses  only  an  office,  loses  nothing  that  he  need  break  his  heart 
about.  I  should  have  been  glad  that  we  should  have  been  here 
a  year  or  two  together,  but  it  is  not  essential  to  the  happiness 

of  either  of  us. 

******* 

I  am  busy,  very  busy,  in  the  court,  and  shall  be  to  the  moment 
of  my  departure. 

Yours  truly,  as  always, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    JUDGE    STORY. 

April  8,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  enclose  you  a  letter  I  received  yesterday,  for 
you,  from  Mr.  Palfrey. 

You  will  have  heard  of  the  bloodless  duel ;  I  regret  it  very 
much ;  but  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Randolph  has  been  such  that  I 
suppose  it  was  thought  that  it  could  not  longer  be  tolerated. 
We  have  had  something  like  it  in  the  House  of  Representatives, 
but  not  so  bad.  In  truth,  the  manner  of  debate  adopted  by 
certain  gentlemen  in  both  Houses,  is  without  a  parallel  in  the 
history  of  this  country. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  383 

We  have  done  nothing  since  you  left.  The  bankruptcy  has 
not  been  called  up.  The  Senate  do  little  or  nothing.  Mr.  Ran 
dolph  occupies  about  three  hours  every  day,  be  the  subject  what 
it  will ;  and  then  the  Senate  adjourns.  I  know  not  what  will  be 
the  result,  but  public  business  has  come  pretty  much  to  a  stand. 
I  intend  to  report  a  bankrupt  bill  to  our  House  this  week. 

The  Senate  has  agreed  to  Rowan's  amendment  to  the  judiciary 
bill.  I  presume  we  shall  reject  it ;  and  if  the  Senate  adhere,  I 
trust  the  bill  will  be  lost.  If  it  passes,  I  think  the  appointments 
will  be  satisfactory.  We  hope  to  finish  Panama  in  our  House 
by  Wednesday. 

The  Massachusetts  claim  has  been  discussed.  Some  heats 
were  created,  but  in  general  the  claim  has  gained  much  by  the 
discussion.  Almost  all,  or  quite  all,  of  the  active  opposition, 
has  come  from  a  certain  quarter,  and  has  been  made,  no  doubt, 
with  a  view  to  certain  effects. 

Mrs.   Webster  desires   her  remembrance ;    and  your  friend 
Edward  is  particular  in  his  love  to  Judge  Story. 
Yours,  always  truly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    ISAAC    P.    DAVIS. 

April  11,  1825. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  shall  be  very  glad  to  get  something  done  for 
your  cordage  if  I  can.  If  Mr.  De  Wolfe's  bill  comes  down 
from  the  Senate,  we  will  do  what  we  can  for  it. 

I  have  grown  very  tired,  and  want  to  go  home.  I  cannot 
think  of  failing  to  hold  the  Sandwich  court,  at  the  usual  season. 

Mrs.  Webster,  and  the  children,  and  Jeanette  are  all  well,  and 
all  send  their  love  to  Mrs.  Jackson,  Mrs.  Davis,  and  yourself  and 
boys.  Ned,  however,  says  he  has  sent  so  much  love  to  every 
body,  that  he  has  none  left. 

Notwithstanding  the  mildness  of  the  winter,  March  has  been 
cold,  and  the  spring  is  backward.  I  hope  we  shall  rise  by  the 
10th  or  12th  of  May.  I  know  not  what  to  say  about  the  tariff, 
except  that  there  is  an  increased  probability  that  it  will  not  pass, 
even  through  our  House.  There  are  members  who  are  influ 
enced  by  their  instructions,  or  afraid  of  their  constituents  ;  other- 


384  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

wise  there  would  be,  I  have  no  doubt,  a  decided  majority  for 
giving  the  bill  its  repose  upon  the  table. 

Yours  always, 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    CHANCELLOR    KENT. 

Boston,  May  23,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — You  know  Judge  Smith  of  New  Hampshire, 
at  least  in  his  public  and  professional  character.  I  wish  to 
recommend  him  to  you,  on  the  score  of  private  worth  and  social 
qualities.  There  are  few  men  in  the  world  I  think  more  to 
your  taste. 

I  entertain  for  him  the  highest  regard,  and  true  gratitude. 
When  I  came  to  the  bar,  he  was  chief  justice  of  the  State.  It 
was  a  day  of  "the  gladsome  light"  of  Jurisprudence.  His 
friends,  and  I  was  one  of  them,  thought  he  must  be  made  gov 
ernor. 

For  this  office  we  persuaded  him  to  leave  the  bench,  and  that 
same  "  gladsome  light "  cheered  us  no  longer.  Ponto  nox  incu- 
bat  atra.  I  need  not  continue  Virgil,  nor  say  how  the  east  wind, 
and  the  north  wind,  and  the  stormy  south  wind,  all  rushed  out 
together,  and  what  a  shipwreck  they  made  both  of  law  and 
parties. 

Judge  Smith  has  since  occasionally  practised  the  law,  but  for 
some  years  has  lived  entirely,  I  believe,  with  his  books  and  his 
friends.  He  knows  every  thing  about  New  England,  having 
studied  much  its  history  and  its  institutions;  and  as  to  the  law, 
he  knows  so  much  more  of  it  than  I  do,  or  ever  shall,  that  I  for 
bear  to  speak  on  that  point. 

Indeed,  I  am  ashamed  to  find  myself  commending  to  you  one 
so  well  known  to  you  and  all  other  good  men ;  but  hearing  he 
was  about  to  visit  your  city,  I  could  not  resist  the  temptation 
afforded  by  the  occasion  of  mentioning  my  regard  for  him,  and 
of  recommending  him  to  the  regard  and  friendship  of  yourself 
and  friends. 

Yours,  always  truly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  3Q5 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    GEORGE    BLAKE. 

Niagara  Falls,  July  15,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  BLAKE, — It  is  one  of  my  most  agreeable  duties, 
before  leaving  this  place,  to  write  to  you,  to  tell  you  how  much 
we  have  admired  the  great  spectacle  here,  and  how  sincerely  we 
have  lamented  every  hour  that  you  were  not  with  us,  to  partake 
and  increase  our  pleasure.  This  is  the  third  day  of  our  being 
here ;  the  weather  has  been  uniformly  fine,  and  we  have  seen 
the  Falls  under  all  advantages.  You  have  of^course  read  many 
accounts  of  this  Fall,  to  which  no  account  can  do  justice ;  and 
although  I  am  disposed  to  say  something  on  the  subject,  I  expect 
no  better  success  than  others  who  have  undertaken  the  descrip 
tion. 

The  Niagara  River,  at  the  moment  of  leaving  Lake  Erie,  is  one 
mile  in  width.  It  runs  nearly  directly  north  with  a  rapidity 
of  six  miles  and  a  half  an  hour.  We  crossed  it  from  the  east 
side  to  the  west,  at  the  village  of  Black  Rock,  two  miles  and  a 
half  below  the  end  of  the  lake.  Here  its  current  is  less  rapid, 
running  probably  about  four  miles  an  hour.  This  river,  being 
fed  from  such  vast  reservoirs  above,  is  subject  to  little  variation 
in  the  height  of  its  waters.  Its  annual  rise  does  not  exceed  a 
foot ;  and  it  may  give  some  idea  of  the  immense  distance  through 
which  its  waters  have  flowed,  to  mention  that  the  spring  "  fresh  " 
is  not  felt  here  till  July.  It  is  now  just  about  the  time  of  high 
water.  It  is  truly  a  noble  river ;  rapid,  but  smooth  and  glassy ; 
always  full,  but  never  overflowing : — 

"  Tho'  deep,  yet  clear ;  tho'  gentle,  yet  not  dull ; 

"  Strong,  without  rage  ;  without  o'erflowing,  full." 

We  passed  down  its  western  shore,  along  the  bank  close  to 
the  water's  edge,  and  over  a  level  road.  Lake  Erie  is  330  feet 
higher  than  Lake  Ontario ;  but  in  descending  the  river  from  Lake 
Erie,  one  perceives  no  very  considerable  or  great  descent, 
although  the  current  is  all  the  way  rapid,  till  we  get  nearly 
down  to  the  Falls.  A  little  below  the  village  of  Black  Rock, 
perhaps  about  five  miles  from  Lake  Erie,  the  river  divides  into 
two  channels,  forming  a  large  island  in  the  centre,  called  Grand 
Isle,  about  twelve  miles  long,  and  in  some  places  six  or  seven 
broad.  This  island  terminates,  and  the  two  channels  unite 
VOL.  i.  33 


386  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

again,  just  at  the  head  of  what  are  called  The  Rapids,  a  mile  or 
a  mile  and  a  half  above  the  great  Falls.  These  Rapids  are  a 
succession  of  cascades,  spreading  over  the  whole  river,  of  differ 
ent  and  various  heights  and  appearances,  rendering  the  whole 
breadth  of  the  stream,  which  is  here  not  less  than  two  miles, 
white  with  foam.  They  would  form  a  fine  object,  if  there  were 
nothing  near  which  called  the  attention  another  way.  Mid 
way  of  these  Rapids  is  Goat  Island,  which  divides  the  river  into 
two  unequal  parts,  about  one  third  in  breadth  being  on  the 
Eastern,  or  American  side,  and  two  thirds  on  the  Western,  or 
British.  This  island  runs  down  to  the  very  brink  of  the  Falls, 
and  there  terminates  in  a  perpendicular  precipice,  or  wall  of 
rock,  which  is  part  of  the  same  great  declivity  over  which  the 
river  pours.  This  island  thus  divides  the  river,  so  that  it  falls 
over  the  precipice  in  two  sheets.  The  length  of  the  Fall  on  the 
American  side  is  estimated  at  380  yards, — then  the  distance 
across  the  end  of  Goat  Island,  330  yards, — and  the  length  of  the 
fall  on  the  British  side,  700  yards.  On  the  east  side  of  Goat 
Island,  is  another  small  island ;  I  know  not  its  name,  but  it  is 
separated  from  Goat  Island  by  twenty  or  thirty  yards  of  water, 
which  pours  over  here  and  makes  a  beautiful  object  by  itself, 
being  wholly  separate  and  distinct  from  the  two  great  Falls. 
The  Fall  is  reckoned  to  be  highest  on  the  American  side,  being 
there  165  feet ;  and  on  the  British  side  150.  Vastly  the  greatest 
portion  of  water,  I  should  think  three  fourths  or  even  more, 
runs  over  on  the  British  side. 

I  have  seen  no  description  which  correctly  represents  the  line 
of  these  Falls.  I,  also,  shall  fail  in  attempting  to  describe  it  to 
you;  but,  nevertheless,  I  will  make  the  attempt.  But,  in  the 
first  place,  you  must  remember  that  the  land,  or  country,  does 
not  descend,  or  fall  off,  at  the  Falls.  From  the  end  of  Lake 
Erie  to  Lewiston,  which  is  seven  miles  below  the  Falls,  the  sur 
face  of  the  earth  is  uncommonly  level ;  but  here,  at  Lewiston,  is 
a  great  descent,  from  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  to  that  of  Lake 
Ontario.  Therefore,  as  you  come  along  down  the  river  from 
Lake  Erie,  when  you  get  to  the  Falls,  the  river  seems  to  fall 
away  from  your  feet,  and  to  pitch  right  down  into  the  earth. 
Many  miles  before  you  reach  the  Falls,  you  see  the  mist  or 
spray  rising  up  like  a  cloud.  But  this  does  not  seem  to  be  ris 
ing  from  the  earth  into  the  air,  so  much  as  from  the  centre  of 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  387 

the  earth  to  the  surface.  It  appears  to  be  coming  out  of  the 
ground.  From  the  bottom  of  the  Falls  to  Lewiston,  seven 
miles,  the  whole  channel  of  the  river  is  one  great  trough,  100  or 
150  feet  deep,  with  sides  of  perpendicular  rock.  This  has  given 
currency  to  the  opinion  that  the  Falls  were  once  seven  miles 
lower  down  than  they  now  are ;  and  that  the  force  of  the  water, 
in  time  has  worn  away  the  rocks  and  forced  the  Falls  back  to 
their  present  position. 

Now,  as  to  the  line  of  the  Falls,  as  it  appears  to  me,  at  the 
moment  of  writing  this,  from  the  upper  rooms  in  Forsyth's 
Hotel.  The  American  Fall  may  be  said  to  be  straight.  There 
are  some  little  inequalities  in  the  line,  but  on  the  whole  it  is  very 
regular  ;  next  comes  the  little  island,  near  Goat  Island,  a  little 
advanced  beyond  the  great  American  Fall ;  then  the  little 
separate  Cascade,  a  little  more  advanced ;  then  the  end  of  Goat 
Island,  about  on  a  line  with  the  little  Cascade  ;  and  then  the 
great  British  Fall.  The  line  of  this  Fall,  leaving  the  point  of 
Goat  Island,  advances,  makes  a  bend  forward,  a  sort  of  gentle 
sweep  or  graceful  arch,  perhaps  two  hundred  yards  in  length, 
then  retreats  again  till  it  gets  a  little  further  back  than  the  point 
of  the  island,  where  it  set  out,  and  making  now  an  angle  or 
rather  a  curve,  it  goes  downward,  and  across  the  river,  and  joins 
the  western  bank  at  Table  Rock,  which  is  a  good  deal  below 
the  end  of  Goat  Island.  This  last-mentioned  bend  or  curve  in 
the  line  of  the  Falls,  is  commonly  called  the  Horseshoe ;  for  no 
reason,  that  I  know  of,  except  that  a  horseshoe  is  a  ready  figure  to 
express  any  curving  line.  On  the  earth  at  the  bottom  of  the 
Falls,  among  the  rocks,  I  succeeded,  with  a  walking-stick  six 
feet  long,  in  drawing  pretty  accurately  the  line  of  the  Falls.  I 
cannot  do  it  on  paper.  The  enclosed  is  as  near  as  I  can  come. 

But  I  wish  now  to  state  something  which  I  have  seen  men 
tioned  in  no  printed  account,  but  which  is  absolutely  essential 
to  any  correct  understanding  of  the  subject.  At  the  very  foot 
of  the  Falls  the  whole  river  turns  suddenly  to  the  right ;  and  runs 
off  in  that  direction.  So  that  the  water  which  falls  over  on  the 
British  side,  runs  along  at  the  foot  of  the  American  Fall.  The 
American  Fall  faces,  exactly  and  completely,  the  western  bank 
of  the  river.  As  you  walk  along  down  from  the  Table  Rock, 
you  have  the  American  Fall  precisely  in  front.  Just  at  the  bot 
tom  of  the  American  Fall  is  the  ferry.  We  land  at  the  very 


388  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

edge  of  this  Fall.  But,  on  the  other  side,  we  set  out  near  half 
a  mile  below  the  Table  Rock.  The  whole,  I  think,  may  be 
understood,  by  bearing  in  mind  that,  at  the  very  Fall,  the  river 
makes  a  sudden  turn  to  the  right,  so  that  all  the  Fall,  out  of 
the  Horseshoe,  and  especially  the  American  Fall,  fronts  not 
down  the  river,  but  directly  across  it. 

I -am  afraid,  after  all,  my  dear  lady,  that  you  are  little  the 
wiser  for  this  attempt  at  description.  I  can  draw  nothing;  but 
if  I  find  you  in  the  dark  on  the  subject  when  I  get  home,  I 
think,  with  a  piece  of  shingle  and  a  penknife,  I  may  explain  my 
ideas. 

The  Falls  are  seen  from  many  different  points,  and  the  views 
are  very  various.  I  write  this,  in  an  upper  parlor,  in  Forsyth's 
Hotel,  on  the  Canada  side ;  the  entire  line  of  the  Falls  is  in 
my  view,  but  the  whole  is  below  me.  The  view,  however,  of 
the  great  curve,  or  Horseshoe,  is  very  good  from  this  spot ;  I 
think  as  perfect  as  from  any  point.  I  can  see  the  water  as  it 
pours  over,  nearly  all  round  the  semicircle.  The  sheet  has  all 
appearances  of  being  very  thick  ;  probably,  it  is  thought,  fifteen 
or  twenty  feet.  Its  surface,  as  it  falls  over,  is  streaked  with  alter 
nate  white,  caused  by  the  foam,  and  the  most  brilliant  emerald. 

In  descending  to  get  a  nearer  view,  we  go  down  a  steep  hill, 
or  what  may  be  called  the  upper  part  of  the  bank,  about  100 
feet.  This  is  about  as  much  descent  as  the  river  makes  in  the 
Rapids  above  the  Falls,  so  that,  having  come  down  this  distance, 
we  are  on  the  level  of  the  water  at  the  head  of  the  Falls.  Here 
are  several  acres  of  flat  land,  between  the  foot  of  this  hill  and 
the  water's  edge,  thickly  covered  with  trees  and  shrubbery.  A 
planked  walk  leads  along  towards  the  river,  and  I  do  not 
know  that  my  attention  has  been  more  strongly  arrested 
by  any  thing  than  by  the  view  which  occurs,  as  we  walk 
along  this  path.  The  water  is  seen  rather  suddenly  and  un 
expectedly  through  a  vista,  or  avenue  of  trees.  It  is  nearly, 
and  seems  to  be  quite,  on  your  own  level.  Great  and  un 
broken  ridges  of  billows  come  hastening  and  bounding  along, 
and  rush  forward  to  the  precipice,  which,  as  yet,  the  spectator 
does  not  see.  The  magnitude,  the  strength,  and  the  hurry  of 
the  mighty  stream,  create  deep  and  instant  consternation.  Pro 
ceeding  onward,  and  turning  a  little  down  the  stream,  we  come 
to  the  water's  edge,  at  the  top  of  the  Fall.  The  water  is  even 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  389 

with  the  bank,  and  we  can  wash  our  hands  in  safety  in  the 
river.  Going  along,  now,  on  the  Table  Rock,  we  have  what  is 
generally  thought  the  best  view  of  the  whole  Falls. 

Fronting  us  is  the  American  FaD,  and  the  little  Cascade ; 
further  to  the  right  Goat  Island,  and  the  commencement  by  it 
of  the  British  Fall ;  and  further  to  our  right  is  the  great  circular 
Fall,  or  Horseshoe,  which  will  hardly  allow  the  eyes  to  be 
withdrawn  long  enough  to  look  at  any  thing  else.  You  may 
stand  by  the  water  just  where  it  falls  off,  and  if  your  head  does 
not  swim,  you  may  proceed  to  the  brink  of  Table  Rock,  and 
look  down  into  the  gulf  beneath.  This  is  all  foam,  and  froth, 
and  spray.  As  you  stand  here,  it  looks  as  if  all  the  water  of 
the  globe  was  collected  round  this  circle,  and  pouring  down 
here  into  the  centre  of  the  earth.  As  we  stood  to-day  at  noon, 
on  the  projecting  point  of  Table  Rock,  we  looked  over  into  this 
abyss,  and  far  beneath  our  feet,  arched  over  this  tremendous 
aggregate  of  water,  foam,  and  vapor,  we  saw  a  perfect  and 
radiant  rainbow.  This  ornament  of  heaven  does  not  seem  out 
of  place,  in  being  half-way  up  the  sheet  of  the  glorious  cataract. 
It  looked  as  if  the  skies  themselves  paid  homage  to  this  stupen 
dous  work  of  nature.  From  Table  Rock,  or  a  little  further  down, 
a  winding  staircase  is  constructed,  down  which  we  descend 
from  the  level  of  Table  Rock,  95  feet.  This  brings  us  to  the 
bottom  of  the  perpendicular  rock,  and  from  this  place  we  de 
scend  50  or  60  feet  further,  over  large  fragments  of  rock  and 
other  substance,  down  to  the  edge  of  the  river.  We  went  this 
afternoon  a  little  lower  down  the  river  than  the  upper  staircase, 
almost  indeed  down  to  the  ferry,  and  getting  out  on  a  rock,  in 
the  edge  of  the  river,  we  thought  the  view  of  the  whole  Falls 
the  best  we  had  obtained.  If,  at  the  bottom  of  the  staircase,  in 
stead  of  descending  further,  we  choose  to  turn  to  the  right,  and 
go  up  the  stream,  keeping  close  at  the  foot  of  the  Table  Rock, 
or  the  perpendicular  bank,  we  soon  get  to  the  foot  of  the  Fall, 
and  approach  the  edge  of  the  faUing  mass.  It  is  easy  to  go  in 
behind,  for  a  little  distance,  between  the  falling  water  and  the 
rock  over  which  it  is  precipitated ;  this  cannot  be  done,  how 
ever,  without  being  entirely  wet.  From  within  this  cavern  there 
issues  a  wind,  occasionally  very  strong,  and  bringing  with  it 
such  showers  and  torrents  of  spray,  that  we  are  soon  as  wet  as 
if  we  had  come  over  the  Falls  with  the  water.  As  near  to  the 
33* 


390  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Fall  in  this  place  as  you  can  well  come,  is  perhaps  the  spot  on 
which  the  mind  is  most  deeply  impressed  with  the  whole  scene. 
Over  our  heads  hangs  a  fearful  rock,  projecting  out  like  an  un 
supported  piazza.  Before  us  is  a  hurly-burly  of  waters,  too 
deep  to  be  fathomed,  too  irregular  to  be  described,  shrouded  in 
too  much  mist  to  be  clearly  seen.  Water,  vapor,  foam,  and  the 
atmosphere,  are  all  mixed  up  together,  in  sublime  confusion. 
By  our  side,  down  comes  this  world  of  green  and  white  waters, 
and  pours  into  the  invisible  abyss.  A  steady,  unvarying,  low- 
toned  roar,  thunders  incessantly  upon  our  ears ;  as  we  look  up,  we 
think  some  sudden  disaster  has  opened  the  seas,  and  that  all 
their  floods  are  coming  down  upon  us  at  once ;  but  we  soon 
recollect,  that  what  we  see  is  not  a  sudden  or  violent  exhibition, 
but  the  permanent  and  uniform  character  of  the  object  which 
we  contemplate.  There,  the  grand  spectacle  has  stood,  for  cen 
turies,  from  the  creation  even,  as  far  as  we  know,  without 
change.  From  the  beginning,  it  has  shaken,  as  it  now  does,  the 
earth  and  the  air;  and  its  unvarying  thunder  existed  before 
there  were  human  ears  to  hear  it.  Reflections  like  these,  on 
the  duration  and  permanency  of  this  grand  object,  naturally 
arise,  and  contribute  much  to  the  deep  feeling  which  the  whole 
scene  produces.  We  cannot  help  being  struck  with  a  sense  of 
the  insignificance  of  man  and  all  his  works,  compared  with  what 
is  before  us. 

"  Lo !  where  it  comes,  like  an  eternity, 

As  if  to  sweep  down  all  things  in  its  track !  " 

I  shall  not,  my  dear  Mrs.  Blake,  attempt  any  full  description 
of  this  scene ;  and  still  less  to  represent  its  whole  effect  on  the 
mind.  It  must  be  seen  ;  it  is  something  which  speaks  to  the 
senses ;  no  description  can  set  it  forth. 

The  ferry,  as  I  believe  I  have  already  stated,  leaves  the  British 
shore  near  half  a  mile  below  the  Fall  on  that  side,  and  passes 
-over  to  the  American  shore  just  at  the  lower  edge  of  the  Fall 
there.  The  view  of  the  whole  Fall,  from  the  boat,  is  very  per 
fect  ;  as  much  so,  perhaps,  as  from  any  spot.  From  the  landing- 
place  on  the  American  side,  a  new  and  well-built  staircase 
brings  us  up,  close  along  by  the  falling  water,  to  the  top  of  the 
bank.  We  there  walk  along  up  the  river,  and  see  that  the 
American  branch  is  not  only  less  wide  but  much  less  deep  than 
the  British.  The  Cascades,  however,  are  beautiful  on  this  side. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  391 

About  half  a  mile  above  the  Fall  a  good  bridge  is  thrown  over 
to  Goat  Island.  This  is  a  charming  place,  containing  sixty  or 
seventy  acres  of  ground  covered  with  large  and  handsome  trees. 
We  may  walk  all  round  it,  and  see  the  Rapids  to  great  advan 
tage,  in  both  divisions  of  the  stream.  Its  lower  end  also  presents 
some  good  views  of  the  Falls.  We  see  here  that  the  American 
Fall  is  not  so  straight  as  it  seems  from  the  other  side,  but  has 
various  projections  and  indentations.  The  little  stream,  running 
at  the  east  corner  of  Goat  Island,  and  forming,  as  it  falls,  the 
little  Cascade,  is  quite  accessible,  and  might  almost  be  waded 
over.  In  the  morning  the  bow  is  very  fine,  from  this  point.  I 
saw  one  this  morning  caused  by  the  spray  from  the  American 
Fall.  It  seemed  to  spring  up  from  the  little  house  in  which  the 
ferry-man  lives,  on  the  British  side,  and  swelling  up  along  the 
Bank  it  came  down  again  near  the  Table  Rock.  The  depth  of 
the  water  in  the  river  below  the  Falls,  is  very  great.  It  is  said 
to  have  been  lately  sounded,  by  public  authority,  where  the  ferry 
is,  and  found  to  be  more  than  300  feet.  It  would  seem  to  be 
dangerous,  where  the  boat  passes,  but  I  believe  it  is  not  so.  The 
water  is  a  good  deal  agitated,  but  it  does  not  run  with  any  cur 
rent  too  strong  to  be  encountered. 

The  rock  over  which  the  waters  of  the  Cataract  fall  is  lime 
stone.  No  doubt  the  same  sort  of  rock  underlies  this  whole 
country,  for  a  great  extent.  The  banks  of  the  river,  and  the 
wall  over  which  the  Falls  run,  show  great  regularity  of  forma 
tion.  In  building  the  stairs,  on  the  American  side,  lately,  the 
workmen  have  blown  away  the  rock  in  the  side  of  the  bank,  for 
some  distance,  to  make  room  for  the  staircase,  and  here  the  suc 
cessive  strata  are  seen,  generally  from  six  inches  to  three  feet 
thick,  laid  up  with  the  precision  of  masonry. 

We  have  been  here  now  the  whole  or  a  part  of  three  days ; 
and  although  our  eyes  are  not  satisfied  with  seeing,  yet  some 
of  us  complain  of  weary  limbs,  from  walking  about  so  much, 
and  going  down  and  climbing  up  the  banks  so  often. 

We  shall  leave  probably  to-morrow.  It  will  not  be  without 
pain  that  I  part  from  the  Falls. 

And  now,  my  dear  Mrs.  Blake,  let  me  repeat  how  much  we 
lament  that  you  and  your  husband  have  not  been  with  us  on 
this  visit.  Our  whole  party  desire  their  best  respects  to  you 
both.  Mrs.  Webster  particularly  sends  her  love  to  you,  and 


392  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

thinks  you  will  deserve  well,  if  your  patience  holds  out  through 
this  long  letter.  However  that  may  be,  I  assure  you  I  have 
had  much  pleasure  in  writing  it,  and,  if  I  could  think  of  any 
thing  more  to  say  on  the  subject,  should  write  still  longer.  But 
be  not  alarmed,  I  am  through ;  and  have  only  to  add  that  I 
am,  most  affectionately,  Yours,  always, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MRS.    GEORGE    BLAKE. 

Niagara  Falls,  July  17,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  BLAKE, — Before  leaving  here  I  wish  to  say  an 
additional  word  or  two  on  the  subject  of  the  Falls,  by  way  of 
explaining  or  correcting  some  things  in  my  letter. 

In  the  first  place  I  said,  I  think,  that  Goat  Island  was  midway 
of  the  Rapids.  This  may  lead  to  an  erroneous  opinion.  The 
Rapids  in  fact,  commence  precisely  at  the  head  of  Goat  Island 
We  may  stand  at  the  head  of  the  island,  and  look  up  and  see 
a  mild  and  even  surface.  The  shore  is  level  to  the  water,  and 
we  may  amuse  ourselves  by  throwing  in  sticks,  and  speculating 
on  their  course,  either  to  the  British  or  American  Fall. 

In  the  next  place,  I  am  convinced  that  I  over-estimated  both 
the  breadth  of  the  stream  and  the  amount  of  water  on  the 
American  side.  I  think  the  stream  is  not  more  than  one  fourth 
as  wide  as  on  the  other  side ;  and  the  proportion  of  water  still 
less. 

In  the  last  place,  when  saying  that  the  rock  over  which  the 
river  falls  is  limestone,  I  ought  to  have  added  that  this  limestone 
constituted  but  a  part  of  the  bank  or  wall.  The  first,  or  upper 
fifty  feet,  is  limestone,  lying  in  regular  strata,  as  I  have  men 
tioned  ;  the  next  hundred  feet  is  a  soft  slate  stone,  which  yields 
in  some  measure  to  the  action  of  air,  frost,  and  water.  It  comes 
off  in  small  parcels,  and  is  easily  picked  out  of  the  sides  of  the 
bank.  I  pulled  off  a  piece  six  feet  long,  as  straight  as  a  walk 
ing  stick,  and  not  much  larger.  As  these  pieces  fall  down  they 
become  pulverized,  and  turn  to  a  sort  of  earth.  The  wearing 
away  of  this  slate  stone  necessarily  lets  fall  the  limestone  from 
above.  Table  Rock  is  the  projecting  platform  of  limestone. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  393 

The  slate  stone  underneath  it  is  already  worn  away  a  great 
depth  into  the  bank ;  and  Table  Rock  will  one  day  doubtless 
precipitate  itself  into  the  river. 

At  the  bottom  of  this  course  of  slate  stone,  just  about  even 
with  the  surface  of  the  river,  commences  another  kind  of  stone. 
It  seems  to  be  a  red  sandstone,  lying  in  very  thin  layers.  It  is 
of  so  bright  a  color  that  it  may  sometimes  be  seen,  forming  the 
bottom  of  the  river,  where  the  water  is  very  deep. 

You  will  excuse  me,  my  dear  Mrs.  Blake,  for  adding  these 
remarks  to  my  long  and  tedious  letter.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
I  shall  ever  see  the  Falls  again.  You  will  be  here  at  some 
time,  and  I  hope  soon.  I  will  not  promise  myself,  that,  as  you 
view  the  scene,  you  will  find  any  great  correspondence  between 
the  view  itself  and  my  account  of  it ;  but  I  trust  you  will  call  to 
mind  those  who  have  been  over  the  spot  before  you,  and  be 
willing  to  remember  even  this  unsuccessful  attempt  to  describe 
it  to  you  by 

Your  affectionate  and  faithful, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     We  set  out  this  morning  for  home. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

Utica,  July  8,  1825. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — You  perceive  that  our  flight  is  not  very 
rapid.  We  arrived  here  evening  before  last,  at  the  moment  of 
the  arrival  of  your  letter,  which,  you  may  be  assured,  it  gave  us 
no  small  pleasure  to  receive.  Yesterday  we  went  to  visit  Tren 
ton  Falls,  a  famous  lion,  fifteen  miles  from  this  place.  It  is  a 
succession  of  cascades,  or  water  falls,  in  a  stream  called  "  West 
Canada  Creek,"  for  a  mile  and  a  half  or  two  miles.  On  either 
side,  for  the  whole  distance,  is  a  wall  of  rock  nearly  perpen 
dicular,  and  varying  in  height  from  one  hundred  to  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  feet.  The  passage  to  view  the  Falls  is  at  the 
bottom  of  this  bank  of  rocks,  and  at  the  very  edge  of  the  torrent. 
It  is  difficult,  and  in  some  places  I  think  dangerous ;  there  are 
however  chains  fastened  in  the  rock  in  the  most  critical  spots,  to 
hold  on  by.  Our  ladies  accomplished  the  object  of  getting  a 


394  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

full  view,  although  it  rained  like  a  torrent,  and  to  have  fallen 
over  would  not  have  soaked  them  more  thoroughly.  We  find 
all  the  inns,  and  all  the  roads,  full  of  travellers,  many  of  them 
from  Boston.  This  country  is  all  alive ;  it  is  new,  growing,  and 
highly  excited.  A  universal  competition  prevails  in  every 
thing ;  carriages,  public  houses,  boats,  all  much  more  abundant 
than  would  seem  strictly  necessary,  and  all  competitors.  We 
leave  this  morning  at  nine,  if  our  party  should  wake  up  by  that 
time ;  I  intend  going  forty  or  fifty  miles  to-day. 

It  will  be  Sunday  before  we  reach  Canandaigua,  where  we 
hope  to  find  some  of  your  letters.  We  often  wish  some  of  our 
friends  were  with  us,  when  we  see  the  great  sights.  We  dined 
on  very  fine  trout,  caught  in  the  Falls,  where  some  are  found 
weighing  five  pounds.  We  have  heard  of  nothing  very  good 
in  Mr.  Blake's  particular  line. 

I  do  not  know  whether  Mrs.  Webster  has  any  thing  to  send, 
but  love.  I  presume  she  is  dreaming  about  you  all.  Give  my 
own  to  the  children,  and  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Blake,  and  believe  me, 

Truly  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

Niagara  Falls,  American  side,  July  16,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  WILLIAM, — I  believe  Mrs.  Webster  wrote  you  from 
Buffalo.  We  found  letters  from  you  at  Utica,  Canandaigua,  Buf 
falo,  and  two  here.  At  Canandaigua,  we  got  them  Monday  morn 
ing,  the  moment  of  our  departure.  I  believe  we  have  received 
all  that  you  have  written.  We  came  down  from  Buffalo  on 
Wednesday,  on  the  west  side,  stayed  at  Forsyth's  until  yester 
day,  when  we  came  across  to  this  place.  We  have  all  been 
greatly  delighted  with  the  Falls;  they  have  exceeded  our  ex 
pectations.  I  have  written  a  long  and  poor  account  of  the 
matter  to  Mrs.  Blake.  I  presume  you  will  find  twenty  others, 
much  more  full  and  accurate,  though  I  do  not  remember  to 
have  seen  any  description,  which  I  now  think  just.  Many 
people  are  disappointed  at  not  finding  the  Falls  appear  higher. 
This  is  very  natural ;  one  hundred  and  sixty  five  feet,  when 
applied  to  a  great  object,  is  no  very  vast  height  of  itself,  and  the 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  395 

great  breadth  of  the  Fall,  the  magnitude  of  the  volume  of  water, 
and  the  circumstance  that  you  generally  see  it  first  from  the  top, 
all  conspire  to  make  you  incredulous  as  to  the  reputed  height. 
But  there  is  no  mistake  as  to  the  height.  A  line  dropped  from 
Table  Rock  to  where  it  strikes  below,  will  convince  any  one. 
Or,  when  we  are  down  at  the  water's  edge,  we  look  up  to  the 
bottom  of  the  staircase,  then  compare  that  distance  with  the 
height  of  the  staircase,  which  we  know  to  be  ninety-five  feet,  we 
shall  be  satisfied  that  the  distance  through  which  the  water 
falls  has  not  been  overstated. 

We  have  examined  the  Falls  from  all  accessible  points  of 
view.  Yesterday  afternoon,  we  crossed  from  this  side  over  to 
Goat  Island,  on  a  bridge,  and  had  a  fine  ramble.  Here  is  a  small 
village,  and  on  the  rapids  above  and  below  the  bridge,  are  some 
little  mills.  By  the  enclosed,  you  will  see  that  the  proprietors 
of  the  shores  on  this  side  would  be  glad  to  dispose  of  the  water 
power  of  Niagara  Falls,  what  little  there  is  of  it,  to  "  Eastern 
capitalists." 

To-day  we  have  made  a  ride  down  the  river  two  or  three 
miles,  to  a  place  called  the  "  Whirlpool."  It  is  a  fearful  eddy  ; 
we  look  upon  it  from  a  height,  I  suppose,  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty  feet.  No  man  can  approach  it;  the  whole  river  is  in  a 
whirl.  It  is  said  that  trees  and  logs,  getting  in  there,  will  some 
times  be  carried  round  for  days  and  weeks  before  they  get  out 
of  the  eddy.  They  are  tossed  about  in  all  directions,  sometimes 
standing  up  perpendicularly,  and  going  down,  and  reappearing. 
I  regretted  that  I  had  not  a  glass,  that  I  might  better  have 
examined  this  great  boiling  caldron.  Just  below  this  is  an 
other  place,  called  the  "  Devil's  Hole."  It  is  a  kind  of  cut,  made 
into  the  bank,  on  this  side.  In  the  French  war,  a  party  of  Eng 
lish  were  stationed  on  the  bank  here  to  guard  the  portage  round 
the  Falls ;  they  were  surprised  by  a  party  of  French  and  In 
dians,  all  surrounded,  and  pushed  off.  Of  course  they  were  all 
killed,  except  one  drummer ;  he  caught  by  his  belt,  upon  some 
limb  of  a  tree,  running  out  from  the  bank,  or  as  some  say,  fell 
on  his  drum.  At  any  rate  he  survived  the  fall,  and,  as  I  under 
stand,  was  living  in  Canada  ten  years  ago. 

But  enough  of  Niagara  and  story-telling.  It  has  taken  us  so 
long  a  time  to  get  here,  and  must  take  us  so  much  to  get  home, 
that  I  despair  of  Canada.  I  fancy  we  shall  go  to  Rochester, 


396  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Utica,  Lake  George,  Burlington,  home  ;  but  this  is  only  my 
private  opinion.  We  shall  set  off  East  to-morrow,  and  shall 
soon  determine  our  course.  I  will  write  to  you  again,  say  from 
Rochester.  Yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.    I  am  going  to  try  to  wet  a  line  at  the  foot  of  the  Falls. 
Saturday  5,  p.  M.,  and  all  well ;  23  days  out,  no  news ;  cali 
coes  wet  and  heavy. 


MR.    MADISON    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Montpelier,  August  12,  1825. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  have  received  the  copy  of  your  oration  delivered 
at  Bunker  Hill,  on  the  occasion  presented  by  the  17th  of  June 
last.  It  merits  all  the  praise  which  has  been  bestowed  on  it ; 
and  I  tender  you  many  thanks  for  the  pleasure  it  has  afforded 
me.  With  assurances  of  my  distinguished  consideration, 

I  am  yours  truly, 

JAMES  MADISON. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    HADDOCK. 

Boston,  October  13,  1825. 

DEAR  CHARLES, — Your  Mr.  Perkins  called  here  this  morning, 
at  a  moment  when  I  happened  to  be  so  much  occupied  with 
gentlemen  in  the  office,  that  I  could  not  even  read  your  letter 
through.  Unfortunately,  his  engagements  were  so  stringent, 
that  he  could  not  flatter  me  with  a  hope  of  another  call  to 
morrow  morning.  If  any  auspicious  changes  in  his  affairs 
should  enable  him  to  call  again,  or  if  your  next  agent  should  be 
willing  to  wait  till  I  could  catch  my  breath  even,  I  shah1  en 
deavor  to  comply  with  your  wishes.  If  no  other  arrangement 
occur,  draw  on  me  for  the  sum,  say  $500,  at  three  days'  sight, 
and  as  soon  as  convenient  send  me  such  a  note  as  you  propose. 

I  had  true  pleasure  in  reading  your  Bible  Society  speech.  Cer 
tainly  I  think  it  the  best,  far  the  best,  which  I  have  seen.  We 


DANIEL    WEBSTER.  397 

hear  much  of  your  Commencement  oration.  When  are  we  to 
see  it  ?  Print  it  by  all  means ;  especially  if  it  be  half  so  good  as 
report  makes  it.  The  tendencies  of  a  college  life  are  doubtless 
drowsy ;  and  you  deserve  therefore  the  more  praise  for  showing 
signs  of  life.  It  is  not  always  that  a  pulsation  manifests  itself 
in  those  sons  of  leisure,  who,  having  no  absolute  engagements 
for  the  future,  refer  to  the  blank  of  to-morrow  whatever  might 
have  made  to-day  something  better  than  a  blank. 

Yours  most  truly  always, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    DR.    WARREN. 

November  17,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  highly  pleased  with  the  idea  of  a  gym 
nasium  ;  it  is  a  subject  which  has  often  occupied  my  thoughts, 
and  in  relation  to  which  it  has  appeared  to  me  that  the  fashion 
of  the  times  needs  to  be  changed.  Those  who  have  the  charge 
of  education  seem  sometimes  to  forget  that  the  body  is  a  part 
of  the  man.  The  number  of  young  men  who  leave  our  colleges, 
emulous  indeed,  and  learned,  but  with  pale  faces  and  narrow 
chests,  is  truly  alarming.  The  common  rustic  amusements 
hung  about  our  literary  institutions  for  a  long  time ;  but  they 
at  length  seem  to  have  been  entirely  abandoned,  and  nothing,  at 
least  nothing  useful,  has  succeeded  them.  If  it  be  desirable  that 
there  should  be  cultivated  intellect,  it  is  equally  so,  as  far  as 
this  world  is  concerned,  that  there  should  be  also  a  sound  body 
to  hold  it  in. 

I  shall  most  gladly  assist  in  your  endeavors ;  thinking  that  I 
do  some  service  when  I  aid  any  measure  calculated  to  enforce 
on  the  rising  generation  a  sense  of  the  invaluable  advantages  of 
temperance  and  exercise. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  most  truly  yours, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 
VOL.  i.  34 


398  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


LAFAYETTE    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

La  Grange,  December  28,  1825. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  had  the  pleasure  to  receive  your  letter 
by  the  Reverend  Mr.  Palfrey,  of  whose  church  in  Boston  I  am 
one  of  the  oldest  parishioners ;  nor  have  I  been  a  little  surprised 
after  I  had  left  him  in  his  pulpit,  to  see  him  on  a  sudden  enter 
ing  my  room  in  Paris.  He  has  since  favored  us  with  a  visit  at 
La  Grange,  and  went  to  Geneva  on  his  way  to  Italy. 

You  are  by  this  time  at  Washington,  with  many  others  of 
my  friends,  occupied  in  the  day  with  concerns  most  interesting 
to  me,  and  spending  every  evening  in  those  parties  which  I 
have  happily  enjoyed  last  winter.  I  wish  I  could  again,  some 
time  in  the  session,  share  with  you  in  that  most  pleasing  way  of 
life  ;  and  this  not  being  the  case,  my  best  mode  of  existence,  on 
this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  is  to  be  on  my  farm  with  my  family 
and  kind  visitors ;  yet  I  will  be  obliged  by  the  middle  of  Janu 
ary  to  go  to  the  city  for  two  or  three  months,  with  my  children 
and  grandchildren,  however  partial  they  are,  along  with  me, 
to  our  retirement  of  La  Grange.  Here  we  have  been  threatened 
with  the  greater  calamity  by  the  illness  of  one  of  my  grand 
daughters;  she  is  now  recovered.  The  less  happy  Mr.  Clay 
has  been  more  severely  treated  in  his  parental  fondness. 

From  every  quarter  you  will  hear  the  great  news  of  the  death 
of  the  Emperor  Alexander ;  from  each  quarter  a  different  story 
about  the  mode  of  his  exit ;  the  most  natural  in  that  family  is 
murder.  How  it  may  affect  the  concerns  of  general  freedom  is 
the  important  point.  Nothing  worse  can  be  apprehended  in  a 
state  of  things,  when  the  main  object  with  every  European, 
continental,  and  insular  cabinet,  is  to  stifle  the  spirit  of  freedom 
in  this,  and  to  introduce,  if  they  can,  aristocracy  and  monarchy 
in  the  better  hemisphere.  Should  they  quarrel  together,  some 
thing  new  may  come  out  of  it.  It  is  said  the  King  of  Portugal 
cannot  live  long ;  let  Don  Pedro  be  sent  to  succeed  him,  and 
Brazil  be  raised  to  the  dignity  of  a  Commonwealth.  At  Panama, 
good  and  candid  advice  will  be  very  seasonable.  So  it  would 
be  in  Greece,  whose  situation  appears  to  be  now  better  than 
it  was  reported  to  be  some  weeks  ago,  and  where  the  jealousies 
between  Russia  and  Great  Britain  may  give  rise  to  new  com- 


DANIEL    WEBSTER.  399 

binations.  I  hope  the  two  frigates  building  at  New  York  will 
be  gone  before  you  receive  this  letter.  I  wish  our  steamboat 
plan  may  have  succeeded.  There  is  in  their  moral  influence 
upon  the  political  civilization  of  mankind,  something  very  grati 
fying  and  honorable  to  the  character  of  the  United  States. 

My  brother  officers  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  have 
communicated  to  me  a  proposed  application  to  Congress  rela 
tive  to  the  pension  law  and  their  pecuniary  situation,  of  which 
you  are  the  better  informed,  as  you  will  probably  be  one  of  its 
supporters.  You  know,  my  dear  friend,  how  far  I  am  from 
availing  myself  of  my  happy  situation,  honored  as  I  am  with  a 
precious  share  of  popular  affection,  to  launch  into  political 
improprieties.  But  in  this  particular  case  it  seems  to  me  that 
the  very  favors  of  which  I  have  been  the  object,  one  of  them 
peculiarly  added  to  my  community  of  services  and  fraternity 
with  those  gallant  and  beloved  companions  in  arms,  entitle  me 
to  express  more  of  my  opinion  and  wishes,  than  it  would  be 
proper  to  do  in  any  other  instance.  I  took  the  liberty  to  write 
to  the  President  and  the  Secretary  of  War,  as  I  do  now  to  you, 
my  dear  Sir ;  and  indeed,  the  more  bounteous  Congress  have 
been  to  me,  the  more  happy  I  will  be  if  they  do  something  in 
explanation  of  the  bill  to  confer  additional  comfort,  where  so 
much  merit  is  acknowledged. 

I  am  eagerly  waiting  for  news  from  Washington.  The  Pres 
ident's  "  Message,"  the  Greek  business,  the  resolutions  respect 
ing  my  excellent  friend  Colonel  Monroe's  statement,  combine 
to  make  me  very  anxious  to  hear  and  read.  Be  pleased,  my 
dear  Sir,  to  present  my  affectionate  respects  to  Mrs.  Webster, 
Mr.  Boyd  and  families,  to  Mr.  Everett,  to  all  friends  about  you. 
My  son  begs  to  be  remembered,  and  so  would  Le  Vasseur,  if  he 
was  at  La  Grange. 

I  don't  know  what  business  had  the  ministerial  papers  of 
England  to  encourage  the  French  government  not  to  pay  the 
American  claims.  Madame  De  la  Rue  and  her  husband,  my 
former  aid-de-camp,  came  to  see  me,  and  was  very  desirous  to 
obtain  a  declaration  from  Congress,  stating  what  you  consider, 
I  think,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that  the  President  is  entitled  to 
make  their  claim  an  object  for  negotiation  with  the  French 
cabinet  along  with  the  business  of  American  reclamation,  when 
they  cannot  be  effectuated. 


400  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

Adieu,  my  dear  Sir,  believe  me  forever  your  affectionate, 
grateful  friend, 

LAFAYETTE. 

P.  S.  Your  Bunker  Hill  has  been  translated  in  French  and 
other  languages,  to  the  very  great  profit  of  European  readers. 
My  gallant  and  eloquent  friend,  Foy,  has  lived  long  enough  to 
enjoy  it. 

Permit  me  confidentially  to  mention  an  object  for  which  I 
hope  there  will  be  no  occasion.  It  came  round  to  me  that 
some  friends  had  contemplated  moving  Congress  for  an  appro 
priation,  relative  to  a  compensation  due  by  me  to  the  proprietors 
of  The  Cadmus,  which  they  have  hitherto  declined  to  receive, 
as  it  would  be  in  fact  paying  more  money  on  my  account.  You 
must  feel  the  impropriety  of  the  proposal,  and  will  of  course 
prevent  it,  if  it  did  chance  to  be  made.  But  would  consider  it 

as  an  additional  service,  if  Mr.  W may  be  prevailed  upon 

by  our  common  friends  to  accept  from  me  this  debt  to  him. 


MR.  WEBSTER  TO  JUDGE  STORY. 

Washington,  December  31,  1825. 

DEAR  SIR, — By  direction  of  our  committee  I  brought  in  to 
day  a  resolution  for  a  bankrupt  law.  I  think  there  is  some 
chance  for  it  if  we  get  a  good  bill.  I  must  call  it  up  on  Mon 
day,  the  16th  instant,  by  which  time  I  hope  to  hear  from  you. 
What  say  you  to  the  following : — 

"  Resolved,  that  all  merchants,  &c.  (using  the  common  terms,) 
committing  an  act  of  bankruptcy,  shall  be  liable  to  a  commis 
sion,  at  suit  of  creditors,  &c. ;  and  that  other  persons,  not 
merchants  and  traders,  who  shall  file  a  voluntary  declaration  of 
insolvency,  shall  be  subject  to  the  law,"  &c. 

Unless  we  make  some  provision  for  the  non-traders,  we  can 
not  possibly  carry  along  the  bill. 

I  shall  call  up  the  judiciary  bill  to-morrow.  I  know  not  what 
will  be  its  fate.  I  was  for  two  judges,  but  a  majority  of  the  com 
mittee  were  for  three.  A  great  majority  in  committee  were 
against  separating  your  court  from  the  circuit.  I  shall  consent 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  401 

to  it,  if  nothing  else  can  be  done,  but  shall  give  my  feelings  on 
the  subject  fully  to-morrow.  I  hope  I  shall  commit  no  con 
tempt. 

An  opposition  is  evidently  brewing.  It  will  show  itself  on  the 
Panama  question.  When  that  discussion  comes  on,  you  will 
probably  see  reason  to  think  that  the  government  has  decided 
wisely  about  the  mission.  The  nominations  are  yet  before  the 
Senate.  As  soon  as  they  are  confirmed,  if  they  shall  be  so,  a 
proposition  will  be  made  in  our  House  for  an  appropriation, 
and  then  we  shall  have  a  grand  debate. 

My  health  is  good,  never  better,  not  having  yet  worked  off 
the  strength  obtained  at  Niagara,  and  at  Sandwich.  Mrs. 
Webster  sends  a  great  deal  of  love  to  Mrs.  Story  and  yourself. 
Pray  let  me  hear  from  you  by  the  16th. 

Yours  truly,  DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  TO  EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 

Washington,  January  29,  1826. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — Nearly  two  months  of  the  session  have 
passed  away,  without  producing  much  of  particular  interest.  I 
think  I  have  never  known  a  session,  in  which  there  seemed 
more  reluctance  to  go  early  to  work.  Indeed,  there  is  not  a 
great  deal  that  is  absolutely  necessary  to  be  done. 

The  judiciary  bill  will  probably  pass  the  Senate,  as  it  left  our 
House.  There  will  be  no  difficulty  in  finding  perfectly  safe 
men  for  the  new  appointments.  The  contests  on  those  consti 
tutional  questions  in  the  West,  have  made  men  fit  to  be  judges. 

After  a  week's  squabbling  about  the  appropriation  bills,  I 
suppose  we  shall  have  a  debate  of  a  week  on  Mr.  McDuffie's 
constitution-amendment-motion.  Probably  the  subject  will  end 
with  the  debate.  The  Panama  mission  is  yet  undecided  in  the 
Senate.  It  is  supposed  to  furnish  some  plausible  grounds  for 
opposition,  and  there  will  be  a  rallying  of  forces  on  the  occasion. 
We  do  not  know,  of  course,  what  takes  place  in  the  secret  ses 
sions  of  the  Senate,  but  it  is  understood  that  the  subject  is  to 
be  debated  next  Wednesday. 

I  have  no  doubt  the  mission  will  be  approved,  and  the  nomi- 
34* 


402  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

nations  confirmed  by  a  large  majority.  Perhaps  it  might  have 
been  desirable,  that  the  new  government  should  have  held  no 
Congress,  or  should  not  have  invited  the  presence  of  ministers 
of  the  United  States ;  but  when  the  correspondence  is  seen,  it 
will  probably  be  generally  thought  that  the  President  decided 
right.  We  expect  to  have  the  matter  discussed  in  our  House 
publicly,  on  the  question  of  the  appropriation  to  pay  the 
expense. 

The  bankrupt  bill  will  be  introduced,  and  has  a  fan-  chance  of 
being  passed.  I  hope  it  will  be  first  brought  into  the  Senate,  but 
if  it  does  not  soon  make  its  appearance  there,  I  shall  begin  the 
business  in  the  House.  The  late  revision  of  the  English  system 
has  greatly  facilitated  our  labors. 

The  political  aspect  of  things  here  is  well  enough.  A  good 
degree  of  civility  and  kind  feeling  prevails,  and  I  cannot  help 
hoping  that  time  and  event  may  abate  the  malignity  that  still 
rages  in  some  quarters.  I  have  not  had  the  pleasure  of  making 
the  acquaintance  of  your  new  members  from  New  Hampshire. 
There  are  so  many  new  members  in  the  House,  it  requires  a 
great  while  to  find  them  out.  The  new  senator  keeps  pretty 
close ;  a  little  inclined  to  oppose,  as  is  thought,  but  perhaps  not 
quite  certain  how  it  might  turn  out.  I  believe  Mr.  Bell  is 
sincerely  friendly  to  the  President,  and  much  more  inclined  to 
act  and  think  generously  and  liberally  than  he  has  heretofore 
been  supposed  to  be. 

I  seldom  see  a  New  Hampshire  paper,  and  hear  nothing  of 
New  Hampshire  politics.  If  there  be  any  thing  passing  worth 
telling  of,  please  write  about  it. 

As  to  domestic  matters,  we  get  on  tolerably  well.  Fletcher 
lives  at  Dr.  Sewall's,  and  goes  to  school.  The  other  two  chil 
dren  are  with  us.  Julia  has  been  a  little  unwell,  but  is  better, 
and  the  rest  of  us  have  good  health.  We  beg  to  give  our 
love  to  your  wife  and  children,  and  hope  to  hear  from  you. 

Yours  always, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  403 


LAFAYETTE    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

La  Grange,  March  12,  1826. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — While  you  are  on  the  duties  of  congressional 
business,  I  make  some  escapes  from  town  to  my  farm,  and, 
having  no  public  task  to  perform,  I  am  active  in  the  thought  of 
what  is  probably  going  on  in  Washington,  in  my  enjoyment 
of  usual  prosperity ;  and  in  my  anticipations  of  every  circum 
stance  which  can  maintain  and  forward  the  felicity  and  dignity 
of  the  United  States,  placed  as  they  are  at  the  head  of  human 
civilization,  their  moral  influence  cannot  but  be  confidently 
exerted  for  the  instruction  and  happiness  of  mankind. 

The  arrival  of  Mr.  Palfrey  has  been  welcomed  with  the  feel 
ings  of  a  faithful  parishioner  and  friend.  He  is  now  in  Italy, 
and  I  much  wish  he  may  embark  from  France,  as  he  will  then 
favor  us  with  another  visit  at  La  Grange. 

By  the  last  accounts  from  Washington,  the  Panama  mission 
was  still  debated  in  the  Senate.  Sorry  I  would  be  to  think  the 
former  Spanish  colonies,  now  independent  and  well  disposed 
republics,  have  been  deprived  of  the  only  honest  advice  they  can 
expect.  On  none  of  the  European  governments  can  they 
depend.  They,  all  of  them,  are  determined  to  favor  a  creeping 
of  monarchy  and  aristocracy  into  those  countries,  and  the  Court 
of  Brazil  is  by  them  considered  as  the  head-quarters  of  their 
plots,  corruption,  and  intrigues.  Nothing,  of  course,  seems  to 
me  more  desirable,  than  to  see  the  United  States  maintain  their 
hold  in  the  confidence  of  the  Southern  Republic,  and  the  Em 
pire  of  Brazil  converted  into  a  good  democratic  commonwealth. 

Is  it  not  very  amusing  to  find,  that  while  the  Russian  auto 
crat  was  watching,  advising,  lecturing  about  the  possibility  of 
plots  and  insurrection  wherever  he  had  no  right  to  meddle,  he 
was  himself  surrounded  with  a  vast  conspiracy  of  his  own 
nobles  and  favorites  ?  It  is  to  me  a  daily  diversion  to  pursue 
the  contrast  between  a  presidential  election,  under  a  representa 
tive  democracy,  and  the  succession  to  the  throne,  in  the  bosom 
of  the  most  complete  monarchical  good  order,  supported  by  all 
the  blessings  of  aristocracy,  without  the  encumbrance  of  any 
thing  like  a  nation.  It  seems  that  jealousy  and  selfishness  have 
worked  the  Western  governments,  and  Austria  herself,  to  a 


404  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

degree,  into  a  better  mood  with  respect  to  the  Greeks  than 
could  have  been  produced  by  a  sense  of  honor,  compassion,  or 
Christianity.  As  they  are  afraid  to  see  Emperor  Nicholas  carried 
away  by  his  troops  into  a  war  against  the  Ottoman  empire, 
which  might  give  him  a  supremacy  over  the  people  and  the 
territory  of  Greece,  they  now  incline  towards  an  arrangement 
favorable  to  Grecian  independence ;  an  inadequate  substitute,  in 
their  minds,  to  a  total  and  speedy  destruction  of  the  insurgents, 
but  where  as  little  of  republican  freedom  as  possible  should  be 
admitted.  There  are  already  popping  out  from  every  country 
candidates  for  the  sovereignty  over  this  gallant  people,  whom 
nature  has,  still  more  especially  than  any  other,  marked  for  a 
republican  confederacy.  Here,  I  confess,  comes  again  my  proud 
sense  of  the  moral  influence  of  the  United  States.  I  hope  Com 
modore  Rodgers's  squadron  will  be  seen  in  those  seas ;  and  I 
much  lament  the  frigates,  that  were  building  in  New  York,  are 
not  yet  arrived.  From  the  European  governments,  without 
exception,  not  one  honest  feeling  nor  one  disinterested  advice 
can  be  by  them  expected.  Not  so  with  private  persons.  The 
day  before  I  left  town,  an  express  arrived  from  Missolonghi  to 
the  French  committee,  announcing  a  want  of  ammunition  and 
other  necessaries  in  that  fortress,  upon  which  twelve  thousand 
dollars  were  sent  the  same  night  to  Leghorn,  to  purchase  and 
ship  off  those  articles. 

I  have  not  heard  the  result  of  the  position  of  the  revolutionary 
officers  ;  but  from  my  happy  knowledge  of  the  feeling  toward 
them,  and  of  the  disposition  of  Congress  in  their  favor,  and  my 
grateful  experience  of  what  they  have  done  for  one  of  them,  I 
fondly  hope  my  beloved  comrades  will  not  have  been  disap 
pointed. 

Be  so  kind,  my  dear  Sir,  as  to  present  my  best  respects  to 
Mrs.  Webster  and  family,  and  to  your  brother,  to  our  friends  at 
Washington  and  Boston.  I  hope  the  President  and  family  are 
well.  My  son  and  Le  Vasseur  beg  to  be  remembered.  Has 
our  friend  Everett  tried  his  splendid  talents  in  the  House  of 
Representatives?  His  brother  and  Mrs.  Everett  I  expect  to 
see  before  long,  as  Mr.  Adam  Smith  has  gone  to  Madrid,  and 
he  will,  it  is  said,  improve  the  first  moment  he  can  properly 
devote,  to  a  visit  to  the  North.  Most  truly  and  forever 

Your  affectionate  friend,  LAFAYETTE. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  405 


CHIEF    JUSTICE    MARSHALL    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Richmond,  April  3,  1826. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  a  few  days  past, 
under  cover  from  you,  the  documents  accompanying  the  late 
message  of  the  President  to  the  House  of  Representatives  on 
the  Panama  mission.  We  anticipate  a  tolerably  animated  dis 
cussion  of  this  subject.  I  thank  you  very  sincerely  for  this 
mark  of  polite  recollection,  and  beg  you  to  believe  that  I  remain 
with  sincere  regard, 

Yours,  JOHN  MARSHALL. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    JUSTICE    STORY. 

Washington,  May  8,  1826. 

MY  DEAR  SIR,  —  I  have  received  your  letter  written  at  Port 
land,  and  will  not  fail  to  attend  to  the  subject  of  it.  I  had 
already  found  my  attention  turned  towards  the  proposed  law, 
which  I  very  much  dislike,  and  shall  take  care  to  oppose. 

The  fate  of  the  judiciary  bill  is  quite  uncertain.  The  Senate 
show  much  pertinacity  in  regard  to  their  amendment ;  and  it  is 
doubtful  whether  the  House  will  ever  consent  to  it.  You  will 
have  noticed  the  proceedings  thus  far.  If  the  Senate  decline  a 
conference,  the  bill  is  certainly  lost.  If  they  agree  to  a  con 
ference,  and  in  that  conference  consent  to  abandon  that  part  of 
their  amendment  which  does  not  relate  to  the  districts,  it  is 
possible,  and  only  possible,  the  bill  may  finally  pass.  The  real 
truth  is,  the  gentlemen  in  the  Senate  who  are  called  the  Opposi 
tion,  do  not  wish  the  bill  to  pass ;  even  those  of  them  who  are 
from  the  West  have  but  a  cool  desire  for  it.  I  suppose  the 
reason  is,  they  do  not  wish  to  give  so  many  important  appoint 
ments  to  the  President.  I  think  we  stand  pretty  well,  either 
way.  If  the  bill  passes,  well ;  if  not,  we  have  made  a  fair  offer, 
and  the  court  will  remain  at  seven  some  years  longer.  Judge 
Trimble's  nomination  is  not  yet  acted  on. 

There  remain  no  very  important  measures  now  before  con 
gress,  although  there  is  a  mass  of  subordinate  business,  and  of 
private  bills. 


406  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

My  plan  is  to  leave  here  on  the  15th ;  to  send  the  horses  along 
three  or  four  days  earlier,  so  as  to  proceed  rapidly  ourselves  to 
New  York.  I  shall  hardly  be  more  than  seven  or  eight  days 
going  home ;  so  that  I  intend  to  be  in  your  court,  the  second 
week  of  its  sitting.  I  believe  I  have  very  little  to  do  there,  and 
I  shall  write  to  Mr.  Bliss  to  postpone  to  next  term,  at  once,  all 
that  can  be  so  disposed  of.  After  the  second  week  of  the  court 
comes  election  week,  a  week  not  convenient  for  courts ;  so  that 
I  think  the  business  of  the  term  had  better  be  wound  up,  if 
practicable,  the  second  week.  I  shall  write  to  Mr.  Blake  to 
that  effect,  as  well  as  Mr.  Bliss.  My  health  is  good ;  but  still  I 
am  not  anxious  to  go  immediately  to  much  hard  work  when  I 
get  home.  From  the  first  day  of  December,  I  have  not  been  an 
inch  from  my  place  till  Saturday,  when  I  rode  a  few  miles  on 
horseback.  I  need  motion  and  air,  more  than  a  court.  If  any 
thing  occurs  to  change  my  present  purposes,  respecting  the  time 
of  my  departure,  &c.  I  shall  give  you  timely  notice ;  this  letter 
I  direct  to  Salem.  Very  probably  I  may  write  you  again  in  a 
day  or  two,  under  cover  to  Mr.  Bliss. 

Mrs.  Webster  joins  me  in  love  to  you,  and  we  both  join  in 
one  other  thing,  that  is  the  most  affectionate  remembrance  to 
Mrs.  Story. 

Yours  truly, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


CHIEF    JUSTICE    MARSHALL    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Richmond,  May  20,  1826. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  returned  yesterday  from  North  Carolina,  and 
had  the  pleasure  of  finding  your  speech  on  the  mission  to  Pa 
nama,  under  cover  from  yourself.  I  had  previously  read  it  with 
deep  interest,  but  was  not  on  that  account  the  less  gratified  at 
this  polite  mark  of  your  attention.  I  can  preserve  it  more  cer 
tainly  in  a  pamphlet  form,  than  in  that  of  a  newspaper. 

Whatever  doubts  may  very  fairly  be  entertained  respecting 
the  policy  of  the  mission,  as  an  original  measure,  I  think  it  was 
not  involved  in  much  difficulty  when  considered  as  it  came 
before  the  House  of  Representatives. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  407 

I  congratulate  you  on  closing  a  most  laborious  session,  and 
am  with  great  and  respectful  esteem, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

J.  MARSHALL. 


LAFAYETTE    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

La  Grange,  July  26,  1826. 

I  HAVE  been  happy  to  hear  from  you,  my  dear  Sir,  and  to 
welcome  Mr.  Bond  at  La  Grange.  My  family  have  shared  in 
the  gratification,  and  I  was  preparing  to  offer  at  some  length 
my  acknowledgments,  when  I  am  informed  this  evening  that 
Mr.  Bigelow  must  have  my  letters  to-morrow  in  town.  I  must 
therefore  this  time  content  myself  with  a  few  lines,  in  the  hope 
they  will  speedily  reach  Boston.  I  wish  I  could  say  the  like  of 
the  writer. 

It  is  superfluous  to  tell  you  I  have  with  patriotic  eagerness 
followed  your  long  congressional  debates ;  nor  can  you  doubt 
my  having  been  highly  gratified  to  read  your  eloquent  and  sub 
stantial  observations,  particularly  when  you  have  claimed  the 
credit  due  to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  their  representa 
tives,  and  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  Union,  for  the  eminent 
service  rendered  to  the  cause  of  South  America  and  Mexico. 
My  friend  President  Monroe's  message  did  evidently  put  an  end 
to  the  plots  of  the  Holy  Alliance,  and  drag  the  government  of 
Great  Britain  into  an  immediate  recognizance  of  the  American 
republics. 

Notwithstanding  the  disaster  of  Missolonghi,  and  the  abomi 
nable  conduct  of  the  European  cabinets,  the  affairs  of  Greece 
wear  a  better  aspect  than  had  been,  even  by  many  of  their 
friends,  anticipated.  They  have  found  a  providential  auxiliary 
in  the  internal  convulsions  of  the  Ottoman  Empire  soon  after 
the  British  policy  had  succeeded  in  quelling  the  co-religionary 
sympathies  of  Russia.  The  ardor  of  the  Greeks  is  far  from 
being  abated.  The  most  lively  interest  in  their  cause  pervades 
every  community,  particularly  in  France,  and  it  is  not  the  only 
complete  contrast  between  the  governors  and  the  governed  in 
this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  Lord  Cochrane's  private  expedition 


408  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

in  the  service  of  Greece  promises  great  deal.  I  ardently  wish 
the  frigates  built  in  New  York  may  arrive  in  time  for  assist 
ance.  I  want  the  people  of  the  United  States  to  have  as  much 
credit  as  possible  in  this  so  very  interesting  cause  of  Greece ;  it 
is  with  unspeakable  pleasure  and  a  due  sense  of  pride,  that  I 
have  a  few  days  ago  taken  by  the  hand  Captain  Allen,  a  gallant 
citizen  of  New  York,  who,  after  having  served  four  years  in  the 
United  States  navy  as  a  midshipman,  went  to  Greece  a  few 
days  after  my  arrival  in  America,  and  since  that  time  has  been 
highly  serviceable,  being  now  flag  captain  to  Admiral  Miaulis 
and  his  intimate  friend.  He  has  been  on  a  mission  to  London, 
but  found  time  to  stop  a  few  hours  at  La  Grange. 

Be  pleased  to  present  my  affectionate  regards  to  Mrs.  Web 
ster,  your  brother,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boyd,  and  our  other  friends  in 
Boston.  I  must,  to  my  great  regret,  leave  you  to-day ;  but  not 
before  I  have  mentioned  my  son  and  Le  Vasseur. 

Most  cordially  and  forever  your  affectionate  friend, 

LAFAYETTE. 

P.  S.  Present  me  very  affectionately  to  my  old  friend  John 
Adams,  when  you  see  him.  I  wish  it  may  be  in  the  power  of 
the  President  to  pay  him  a  visit  this  summer ;  should  he  and 
his  lady  be  with  you  when  you  receive  my  letter,  mention  me 
most  affectionately  to  them. 


MR.    QUINCY    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  August  3,  1826. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Your  perfect  success  yesterday  ought  to  be 
as  satisfactory  to  you  as  it  is  to  your  friends.  I  think  nothing 
has  ever  exceeded  or  perhaps  equalled  it. 

In  consequence  of  a  controversy  I  had  yesterday  with  a 
friend,  I  deem  it  an  act  of  friendship  to  draw  your  attention  to 
one  part.  If  it  be  as  I  understood  it,  there  can  be  no  possible 
objection.  But  if  it  be  as  he  and  I  find  others  understood  it, 
then  it  is  desirable  that  it  should  be  well  considered  in  the 
aspect  in  which  it  may  be  viewed. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  409 

I  understood  you,  in  that  part  in  which  you  give  an  imagin 
ary  debate,  relative  to  the  expediency  of  a  declaration  of  inde 
pendence,  to  represent  Hancock  as  the  presiding  officer;  an 
objector  not  prepared  for  the  declaration  addressing  him,  in 
opposition  to  it ;  but  I  did  not  understand  you  as  intending  to 
attach  those  arguments  against  independence,  to  any  person 
whatsoever,  particularly  not  to  Hancock ;  because,  being  in  the 
chair,  he  could  not  have  partaken  in  that  debate.  To  this 
state  of  the  scene  there  can  be  no  possible  objection. 

I  find,  however,  that  the  general,  and  I  believe  the  universal 
impression,  is  that  the  argument  against  the  declaration  was 
put  by  you  into  the  mouth  of  Hancock,  and  intended  to  attach 
to  his  character ;  and  that,  in  point  of  form,  it  was  bringing 
Hancock  and  J.  Adams  on  the  arena  in  direct  opposition  to 
each  other  on  this  point. 

As  my  own  impressions  at  the  time  of  delivery  were  different, 
1  have  no  difficulties  in  the  case ;  all  was  perfectly  satisfactory  to 
me.  But,  if  I  am  mistaken,  and  the  general  impression  concern 
ing  this  part  of  your  discourse  be  correct,  then  permit  me,  in 
that  deep  sentiment  of  respect  and  affection  which  I  entertain 
for  your  name,  fame,  and  influence,  all  which  I  would  have  as 
spotless  as  it  is  brilliant,  to  inquire — 

1.  Is  there  any  fact  in  history  which  justifies  the  attaching 
more  doubt  or  hesitation,  at  that  moment,  to  the  character  of 
Hancock  than  to  that  of  Adams.     If  not,  why  should  Hancock 
be  made  the  channel  for  the  communicating  the  timid  and  tem 
porizing  policy  in  argument,  as  though  it  was  his  opinion.     In 
sketches  of  fancy,  to  which  the  names  of  great  men  are  attached, 
we  owe  to  them  a  scrupulous  justice.     If  Hancock  did  not  take 
that  ground,  it  ought  not  to  be  attached  to  his  memory. 

2.  If  he  did,  and  in  his  anxiety  to  prevent  the  declaration,  he 
abandoned  the  chair,  and  took  the  ground  of  opposition,  still,  I 
respectfully   inquire,  is  it  worth   while   to   keep   that   fact  in 
memory  against  him,  by  a  formal  register  of  a  speech  made  on 
that  ground  ?     Will  not  the  effect  be  just  as  strong,  by  repre 
senting  the  speech  in  opposition  to  have  been  made  by  some 
nameless  individual,  who  may  be  considered  as  concentrating 
in  his  own  argument,  whatever  may  be  urged  in  opposition, 
without  making  any  individual  responsible  for  it  ?     I  stated  to 
you,   in   the  beginning,  this   was   my   understanding   of  your 

VOL.  i.  35 


410  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

speech.     But  I  find  both  clergymen  and  lawyers,  and,  I  am 
certain,  the  multitude,  received  it  otherwise. 

The  argument  of  Adams  was  noble  and  characteristic.  The 
point  of  the  objection  you  will  see.  If  there  be  any  grounds  for 
it,  I  wish  you  to  consider  it.  If,  as  I  believe,  there  is  none, 
then  I  have  nothing  to  say  except  that  now  as  ever  I  am 

Yours,  JOSIAH  QuiNcv.1 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    HADDOCK. 

Boston,  October  14,  1826. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  do  not  know  that  I  am  acquainted  with  any 
sources  of  information,  on  the  subject  mentioned  in  your  letter 
which  are  not  probably  known  to  you.  We  do  not  know  as 
much  of  the  first  settlers  of  New  Hampshire  as  of  those  of  Mas 
sachusetts.  The  two  colonies  came  for  different  purposes  and 
under  different  auspices.  Dr.  Belknap  found  out  a  greater  part 
of  what  is  to  be  learned  of  the  New  Hampshire  settlers.  He 
was  a  very  thorough  and  diligent  searcher  among  all  the  early 
legislative  and  judicial  records  of  the  province.  Possibly  some 
of  the  old  families  in  Portsmouth  may  have  valuable  materials, 
but  I  doubt  it.  Mr.  Adams,  in  his  annals  of  Portsmouth,  has 
been  able  to  add  but  little  to  the  stock  of  knowledge.  Before 
the  peace  of  Paris,  1763,  the  settlements  in  New  Hampshire  were 
very  limited.  Concord  and  Charlestown  were  the  frontier. 
When,  by  that  peace,  the  Indian  hostilities  were  terminated, 
new  settlements  spread  over  the  State.  These  settlers  were  most 
of  them  from  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut.  The  original 
settlers,  therefore,  are  only  those  who  planted  themselves  on  the 
Piscataqua,  and  its  branches ;  and  I  doubt  whether  there  remain 
any  unexplored  sources  affording  information  as  to  their  early 
history.  Your  industry,  however,  will  glean  something,  and  the 
subject  is  a  proper  one  for  research  and  discussion. 

It  would  give  us  much  pleasure  to  see  you  here  with  your 
wife,  and  to  receive  a  good  visit  from  you.  Your  stops  here  are 
are  all  too  short ;  at  least  we  think  them  so. 

I  am,  my  dear  nephew,  yours  affectionately, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

1  Mr.  Quincy's  understanding  of  the  remarks  was  the  correct  one.     No  such 
reference  to  Mr.  Hancock  was  intended  by  Mr.  Webster. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  411 

P.  S.  In  regard  to  the  moral  character  generally  of  our  an 
cestors,  the  settlers  of  New  England,  my  opinion  is  that  they 
possessed  all  the  Christian  virtues  but  charity ;  and  they  seem 
never  to  have  doubted  that  they  possessed  that  also.  And 
nobody  could  accuse  their  system  or  their  practice  but  of  one 
vice,  and  that  was  religious  hypocrisy,  of  which  they  had  an 
infusion  without  ever  being  sensible  of  it. 

It  necessarily  resulted  from  that  disposition  which  they  cher 
ished,  of  subjecting  men's  external  conduct,  in  all  particulars,  to 
the  influence  and  government  of  express  rule  and  precept,  either 
of  church  or  state.  That  always  makes  hypocrites  and  formal 
ists  ;  it  leads  men  to  rely  on  mint  and  cummin.  A  man 
thought  it  an  act  of  merit,  if  we  may  take  the  blue  laws  of  Con 
necticut  for  authority,  not  to  walk  within  ten  feet  of  his  wife  in 
their  way  to  church  ;  as  some  parents,  nowadays,  think  it  a 
merit  to  restrain  their  daughters  from  a  village  dance ;  one  is 
quite  as  sensible  and  as  much  to  do  with  religion  as  the  other. 
Indeed,  it  is  the  universal  tendency  of  strong  religious  excitement, 
a  tendency  of  our  infirm  nature,  growing  out  of  our  weaknesses 
and  our  vices,  to  run  into  observances,  and  make  a  strong  merit 
of  external  acts.  Our  excellent  ancestors  did  not  escape  the 
influence  of  this  propensity ;  but  they  had  so  many  high  and  pure 
virtues,  that  this  spot  should  not  give  offence.  They  were  a 
wonderful  people.  This  very  failing,  of  which  I  have  spoken, 
leaned  so  much  on  the  virtues  of  decision,  sense  of  duty,  and  the 
feeling  that  will  bear  no  compromise  with  what  it  thinks  wrong, 
that  I  forgive  it  to  them.  The  determined  spirit  with  which 
they  resisted  every  approach  of  what  they  thought  evil,  was  itself 
a  great  virtue.  "  Of  itself  it  is  harmless,  but  it  leads, or  may  lead 
to  evil."  This  was  their  answer,  and  perhaps  there  is  something 
in  it ;  but  then  it  may  be  said  of  almost  everything.  The  vice 
of  the  argument,  as  an  argument,  is,  that  it  proves  too  much. 
Eating,  drinking,  sleeping,  conversation,  are  all  equally  under 
its  condemnation.  But  though  indefensible  as  a  rule  of  conduct, 
some  general  consequences  followed  from  the  spirit  which  ac 
companied  it,  which  consequences  are  extremely  useful.  It 
sharpened  the  sight  for  the  discovery  of  jpolitical  evils.  The  tea 
tax,  for  example,  was  not  oppressive,  as  a  tax ;  it  was  too  small 
for  that.  It  was  opposed  on  principle.  "  It  led  or  might  lead 
to  other  taxes."  Our  fathers  acted  on  system  ;  arid  the  inquiry 


412  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

with  them  was,  not  whether  the  thing  was  bearable,  but  whether 
it  was  right.  I  verily  believe,  although  I  do  not  like  creeds  in 
religious  matters,  that  creeds  had  something  to  do  with  the  Rev 
olution.  In  their  religious  controversies,  the  people  of  New 
England  had  always  been  accustomed  to  stand  on  points ;  and 
when  Lord  North  undertook  to  tax  them,  they  stood  on  points 
also.  It  so  happened,  fortunately,  that  their  opposition  to  Lord 
North  was  a  point  on  which  they  all  united. 
But  enough  of  this  postscript. 


MR.  WEBSTER  TO  JUDGE  STORY. 

Washington,  December  26. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  rose  this  morning  with  a  resolution  not  to 
let  the  day  pass  without  writing  you  one  word,  although  it 
should  be  but  one.  I  have  long  intended,  every  day*  to  do  the 
same  thing,  but  something  has  constantly  happened  to  -prevent 
it.  Thus  far,  I  have  been  laboring  hard  to  get  the  Spanish 
claims  off  my  hands,  so  as  to  be  able  to  attend,  without  dis 
traction,  to  my  other  duties.  But  these  things  together,  and 
some  new  engagements  for  the  court,  leave  me  quite  too  little 
time  for  correspondence.  The  private  affairs  with  which  a 
member  from  a  large  town  is  necessarily  charged,  are  very 
numerous.  To  be  a  public  man,  I  ought  to  represent  one  of  the 
inland  counties  of  my  good  native  State,  or  else  a  borough. 

You  will  have  seen  in  a  -late  National  Intelligencer,  the  report 
of  last  year,  respecting  the  courts.  Something  undoubtedly 
will  be  done  on  that  subject  this  session.  What  shall  we  do  ? 
Shall  we  increase  your  bench  by  two  ?  Shall  we  relieve  your 
bench  from  all  circuit  duties,  and  establish  a  uniform  system 
of  circuit  courts  ?  Shall  we  provide  circuit  judges  for  the  west 
ern  districts  ? 

I  must  entreat  your  sentiments  fully  on  these  matters.  I  feel 
great  objection  to  either  of  the  first  two  propositions  ;  others  have 
objections  to  the  last.  .They  make  a  kind  of  point  of  honor  to 
have  supreme  judges  in  the  circuit  courts,  if  other  circuits  have 
such. 

My  plan,  if  it  deserve  the  name,  would  be  to  appoint  three  or 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  413 

four  circuit  judges  in  the  West ;  to  provide  also,  if  we  could,  for 
the  appointment  of  a  circuit  judge  contingently  in  the  East,  in 
the  next  vacancy. 

My  object,  in  short,  would  be  to  provide,  that  all  the  judges  of 
the  supreme  court  should  perform  some  circuit  duty;  and  as 
much  as  they  could  conveniently ;  that  there  should  be  circuit 
judges  enough  to  perform  the  rest;  and  that  such  arrangements 
should  be  made  in  this  respect,  as,  when  vacancies  occur  on  your 
bench,  giving  the  opportunity,  two  supreme  judges  should  be 
allotted  to  the  West ;  in  other  words,  that  the  West  should  have 
two  judges  on  the  supreme  bench. 

Is  this  a  right  object  ?  If  it  be,  tell  me  how  I  shall  accomplish 
it.  By  the  middle  of  the  next  month,  I  must  report  some  plan. 
Pray  sit  down,  think,  and  write.  We  are  all  well ;  my  wife 
is  very  happy.  We  have  good  rooms,  good  fires,  good  com 
pany,  and  good  spirits,  in  quomodo  sensu,  intelligitur,  Mrs. 
Webster  sends  her  love  to  Mrs.  Story  and  yourself.  I  beg  to 
make  a  large  addition  to  it,  as  it  passes  through  my  hands. 

Yours  always, 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    EVERETT. 

Washington,  December  31,  1826. 

DEAR  SIR, — Mr.  Vaughan  called  here  yesterday,  and  invited 
me  to  dine  with  him  to-morrow,  en  famllle,  and  particularly 
requested  me  to  see  you  and  your  ladies,  and  beg  of  you  and 
them  the  favor  to  be  of  the  party.  Mrs.  Bankhead  will  be  there 
to  keep  your  wife  and  Miss  Brooks  in  countenance.  If  you 
will  signify  to  me,  through  the  bearer,  your  good  inclinations 
in  regard  to  this  matter,  I  will  make  them  known. 

It  was  so  cold  yesterday  that  I  could  not  persuade  myself 
to  leave  my  room,  or  I  should  have  called  at  your  house.     As 
near  as  I  recollect,  though  my  memory  is  a  good  deal  chilled,  it 
is  now  about  a  week  since  I  was  warm,  out  of  bed. 
Yours,  however,  very  warmly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 
35* 


414  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    8PRAGUE. 

Washington,  January  10,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  quite  obliged  to  you  for  your  letter, 
although  I  confess  it  has  caused  me  some  uneasiness.  I  cannot 
persuade  myself  that  the  legislature,  under  present  circumstances, 
will  omit  to  reelect  Mr.  Mills.  Here,  I  assure  you,  we  are  all 
of  one  mind  on  the  subject.  "We  think  there  is  nothing  in  his 
health  to  make  it  improper,  and  that  every  thing  else  is  in  favor 
of  it.  If  the  legislature  will  not  agree  to  that,  I  hope  the  elec 
tion  may  be  postponed.  For  mercy's  sake,  do  not  weaken  our 
power  in  the  Senate.  When  all  the  Philistines  are  against  us, 
do  let  us  have  all  the  strength  we  can  have.  If  Mr.  Mills  lives, 
he  is  second  to  no  man  in  the  Senate  among  our  friends.  Why 
then  should  he  be  now  superseded  ?  We  shall  know  more  of 
his  health  in  June ;  and  June  is  early  enough  for  the  election. 
But,  as  I  will  answer  for  it,  that  he  will  not  hold  the  office  any 
longer  than  he  is  able  to  discharge  its  duties,  I  should  hope  he 
would  be  now  reflected. 

Having  so  settled  an  opinion  as  to  what  is  fit  to  be  done, 
namely,  to  reelect  Mr.  Mills,  or  postpone  the  choice,  I  really 
have  not  thought  of  what  would  be  best  in  case  neither  of  these 
two  things  can  take  place.  Of  that,  my  dear  Sir,  you  can  bet 
ter  judge  than  I.  I  only  say  that  if  you  are  governed  by  a  dis 
position  to  sustain  Mr.  Adams,  and  help  on  the  public  business, 
you  will,  in  all  events,  elect  a  man  of  the  very  best  talents 
which  are  at  your  disposal.  I  pray  you  let  no  local,  nor  tem 
porary,  nor  any  small  consideration  induce  you  to  refrain  from 
electing  the  fittest  man  that  can  be  found,  and  that  can  possibly 
be  prevailed  on  to  take  the  place.  The  present  moment,  be 
assured,  is  a  crisis  in  the  affairs  of  Massachusetts  and  all  the 
North. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  very  truly  yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DAOTEL  WEBSTER.  415 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

Londonderry,  January  17,  1827. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — I  came  here  yesterday.  My  wife  has  been 
here  a  fortnight  with  Alice,  who  has  been  ill.  She  is  gaining 
slowly,  and  it  will  probably  be  another  fortnight  before  she  will 
be  able  to  go  home.  Governor  Bell  and  his  friends  took  the 
course  I  anticipated.  They  called,  by  a  printed  notice,  a  meeting 
of  the  Republican  friends  of  the  administration  at  the  court 
house.  This  adjective  was  inserted  before  deliberation  or  con 
sultation.  I  did  not  attend,  feeling  myself  excluded  by  the  terms 
of  the  invitation.  The  meeting  was  large,  and  many  speeches 
were  made  by  Governor  Bell,  Bartlett,  Governor  Morrill,  Richard 
Bartlett,  and  Speaker  Hubbard.  The  object  of  all  the  speakers, 
except  Governor  Bell,  was  to  prove  Mr.  Adams  to  be  a  demo 
crat,  his  administration  strictly  democratic,  and  more  purely  and 
actively  so  than  Monroe's,  Madison's,  or  Jefferson's.  They 
vindicated  him  from  the  charges  of  being  a  Federalist,  or  inclin 
ing  to  favor  the  Federalists.  This  was  the  substance  of  their 
speeches.  After  the  meeting,  Governor  Bell  wished  to  see  me,  and 
I  called  upon  him.  He  said  the  manner  of  caning  the  meeting 
might  not  be  satisfactory  to  me ;  he  hoped  it  would  be  upon 
reflection ;  that  he  and  his  friends  had  determined  to  have  reso 
lutions  introduced  into  the  House  approving  the  measures  of  the 
administration,  and  hoped  that  the  Federalists  would  support 
them.  He  repeated  very  much  his  former  conversation,  renewed 
his  declarations  of  good  feeling,  &c.,  &c.  In  reply,  I  calmly 
told  him  that,  in  our  former  conversation,  I  had  suggested  to  him 
the  course  which  I  thought  the  republican  friends  of  the  admin 
istration  ought  to  pursue ;  but  I  was  willing  that  he  and  his 
friends  should  adopt  the  principles  on  which  they  would  support 
the  administration  in  this  State ;  and,  as  far  as  I  was  concerned, 
they  might  support  it  on  their  own  principles  as  well  as  they 
could.  But  if  those  principles  were  exclusive,  or  prescriptive 
of  the  Federalists,  they  could  not  complain  if  they  had  not  the, 
aid  or  assistance  of  the  Federalists.  I  remarked  that  he  knew 
that  the  course  of  the  Federalists  had  been  honorable  in  New 
Hampshire,  and  marked  by  the  strictest  integrity ;  that  in  all 
divisions  of  the  republican  party,  whether  upon  men  or  measures, 


416  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

the  Federalists  had  voted  for  the  best  men  and  the  best  meas 
ures  ;  that  when  gentlemen  of  the  republican  party  were  candi 
dates  for  office,  they  were  very  desirous  to  appear  to  have  no 
intercourse  with  Federalists ;  but  they  had  no  objection  to  the 
receiving  of  federal  votes,  and  federal  support.  At  other  times, 
the  Federalists  were  treated  as  outcasts  and  aliens.  I  referred 
him  to  the  conduct  of  the  Federalists  in  this  very  legislature,  in 
the  organization  of  the  House  and  in  the  choice  of  commissary- 
general.  I  reminded  him  that  the  friends  of  the  administration 
had  represented  to  us  that  the  political  salvation  of  Portsmouth, 
certainly,  and  perhaps  that  of  the  State,  depended  upon  this 
election,  insignificant  as  was  the  office  ;  that  it  was  made  a  party 
question ;  that  on  this  vote  the  Jackson  men  were  to  rally,  and  if 
Nelson,  their  candidate,  succeeded,  it  would  give  such  confidence 
to  the  friends  of  Jackson  in  Portsmouth,  that  they  would  carry 
every  election  in  the  town  ever  afterwards.  Such  was  their  rep 
resentation  to  us,  and  they  courted  the  influence  and  solicited  the 
votes  of  the  Federalists  ;  and  the  Federalists  did  give  their  votes, 
to  a  man,  for  their  candidate,  and  elected  him  ;  yet,  in  two  days, 
these  gentlemen,  in  express  terms,  declared  that  they  would  not 
admit  us  to  the  meeting  of  the  friends  of  the  administration.  I 
told  him  that  I  considered  this  treatment  of  the  Federalists  from 
the  republican  friends  of  the  administration  as  ungenerous  and 
unjust;  and  such  as  Federalists,  who  had  any  self-respect,  would 
not  submit  to.  I  inquired  of  him  why  the  friends  of  the  admin 
istration  did  not  support  that  administration  in  New  Hamp 
shire  on  their  own  principles,  and  whether  they  expected  the  aid 
of  Federalists  in  other  States,  when  they  proscribed  them  in 
this  ?  He  said,  in  reply,  that  his  own  feelings  were  liberal,  and 
that  the  time  would  certainly  come  when  there  might  be  a  union 
with  Federalists,  on  the  principles  mentioned  by  me ;  but  as 
yet,  the  public  sentiment  was  not  ripe.  I  replied,  that,  on  that 
point,  I  differed  from  him ;  that  I  believed  the  public  sentiment 
to  be  in  favor  of  such  a  union  at  this  moment ;  that  it  was  not 
the  sentiment  of  the  people  that  needed  to  be  corrected,  but  the 
sentiments  of  those  who  affected  to  be  leaders  of  the  people ; 
and  that,  in  my  opinion,  the  public  feeling  would  be  right,  in 
this  respect,  whenever  he  and  his  friends  wished  to  have  it  so ; 
that  this  was  a  matter  altogether  with  him  and  his  friends ;  that 
whenever  they  were  willing  to  unite  with  the  Federalists,  they 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  417 

might  expect  their  aid,  and  not  before,  whether  in  favor  of  their 
resolutions  or  any  other  measure.  We  parted  under  a  good 
deal  of  excitement.  The  resolutions,  I  suppose,  will  be  in 
troduced  on  Monday ;  and  if  they  should  be,  a  motion  will  be 
made  to  postpone  them  indefinitely,  for  which  I  shall  vote,  if  no 
other  man  does.  My  present  intention  is  to  have  the  resolutions 
postponed ;  and  if  it  becomes  necessary  in  the  debate  on  that 
question,  to  give  to  the  House  the  true  reasons  plainly  and 
frankly  for  the  motion,  I  shall  do  it.  If  that  motion  fail,  and 
we  are  obliged  to  act  upon  them,  I  shall  endeavor  to  amend 
them,  giving  them  force  and  character,  and  then  advocate  their 
passage,  giving  my  hearty  and  zealous  support  to  the  adminis 
tration  on  its  own  principles,  and  not  on  those  of  its  exclusive 
friends  in  this  State. 

We  are  glad  to  hear  of  Mrs.  Webster's  recovery. 

Let  us  know  the  appearances  of  things  in  New  York,  &c. 

Yours  truly, 

E.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  April  10,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — You  will  have  heard  from  Mary,  since  her 
arrival  here.  We  had  a  pleasant  passage,  and  I  was  glad  of 
her  company.  Since  I  have  been  at  home,  my  attention  has 
been  occupied  with  various  matters,  private  and  professional.  I 
have,  nominally,  some  little  business  yet  in  the  State  courts ;  al 
though  my  long  absences  have  very  much  severed  me  from  them. 
In  the  neighboring  counties,  where  courts  are  held  at  seasons 
when  I  am  at  home,  I  have  also  an  occasional  engagement,  and 
these  affairs  have  required  my  attention  since  my  return. 

The  business  in.  the  State  court  at  Washington  was  heavy, 
as  you  have  seen  ;  and  my  participation  in  it  greater  than  usual. 
We  got  on  with  the  Virginia  cause  famously;  you  will  see, 
when  you  see  the  report,  that  our  friend  Judge  Story  laid  out 
his  whole  strength  and  made  a  great  opinion.  The  attorney- 
general  argued  the  cause  with  me.  It  was  not  one  of  his  hap 
piest  efforts.  By  the  aid  of  your  brief,  I  got  on  tolerably  well, 
and  took  the  credit,  modestly,  of  having  made  a  good  argument ; 


418  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

at  any  rate,  I  got  a  very  good  fee ;  and  although  I  shall  not  send 
you  your  just  part  of  it,  I  yet  enclose  a  draft  for  the  least  sum 
which  I  can  persuade  myself  you  deserve  to  receive. 

I  was  sorry  not  to  be  able  to  get  good  materials  from  you,  in 
the  lottery  case,  also.  But  we  got  along  with  the  cause,  and 
hope  sometime  to  get  the  money. 

As  to  political  matters,  I  wish  to  say  something,  but  hardly 
know  where  to  begin.  A  survey  of  the  whole  ground  leads  me 
to  believe,  confidently,  in  Mr.  Adams's  reelection.  I  set  down 
New  England,  New  Jersey,  the  greater  part  of  Maryland,  and 
perhaps  all  Delaware,  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Indiana,  Missouri,  and 
Louisiana  for  him. 

We  must  then  get  votes  enough  in  New  York  to  choose  him, 
and  I  think  cannot  fail  of  this.  It  is  possible  we  may  lose  four 
votes  in  Kentucky,  but  I  do  not  expect  it.  At  the  same  time 
it  is  not  impossible  that  Pennsylvania  may  go  for  Mr.  Adams. 
Beyond  doubt,  public  opinion  is  taking  a  very  strong  turn  in 
that  State,  and  it  is  not  now  easy  to  say  how  far  the  change  may 
proceed.  That  there  is  a  change,  and  a  great  change,  is  too  clear 
to  be  questioned. 

,In  New  York,  affairs  wear  the  common  complexion  of  New 
York  politics.  Mr.  Clinton  and  some  few  of  his  friends  have 
the  credulity  to  think  that  he  has  yet  some  chance  of  being  Pres 
ident  two  years  hence.  They  flatter  themselves  that  General 
Jackson's  friends  will  abandon  the  General,  and  take  him  up. 
You  will  think  none  can  be  so  weak  or  so  ill-informed  as  to 
entertain  such  a  hope,  but,  in  truth,  there  are  such  men,  and  Mr. 
Clinton  is  himself  one  of  them.  The  choice  is  with  the  people 
in  districts,  and  unless  some  change  takes  place,  Mr.  Adams 
will  get  a  majority,  perhaps  a  large  one. 

You  perceive  how  local  questions  have  split  up  our  good 
people  here.  You  see  the  worst  of  it.  In  truth,  right  feeling 
very  generally  prevails,  and  nothing  but  prudent  conduct  is 
necessary  to  manifest  it.  Measures  are  in  train,  in  relation  to 
the  ensuing  choice  of  representatives,  which  I  think  will  show 
that  Boston  is  yet  Boston.  Care  will  also  be  taken  to  induce 
other  towns  to  send  good,  and  a  good  many,  members  to  the 
general  court.  We  shall  have  a  Senator  to  elect.  Our  diffi 
culty  will  be  to  find  a  man  fit  for  the  place,  and  with  popularity 
to  carry  the  election. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  419 

I  had  a  great  deal  of  conversation  with  Mr.  Bell,  in  the  course 
of  the  session,  respecting  the  state  of  affairs  with  you.  I  have 
confidence  in  his  good  dispositions,  but  I  do  not  think  his  policy 
bold  enough.  He  understands  my  opinion,  and  guesses  at 
yours,  on  that  point.  Experience,  one  would  think,  must  have 
taught  him  by  this  time  that  there  is  but  one  course  ;  and  that 
is  to  rally,  as  administration  men,  without  reference  to  by 
gone  distinctions. 

I  wish  you  could  see  and  converse  with  him,  about  the  19th 
or  20th.  I  shall  go  up  to  Boscawen  to  see  my  brother.  If  I 
can  persuade  him  to  accompany  me,  I  would  return  by  way  of 
Portsmouth,  to  pass  a  single  day  with  you.  It  seems,  that 
without  his  consent  or  knowledge,  he  is  chosen  to  the  State 
legislature.  He  is  so  much  displeased  and  dissatisfied  with  the 
course  adopted  by  Mr.  Adams's  republican  friends,  in  New 
Hampshire,  that  I  know  not  whether  he  can  be  persuaded  to  do 
any  thing.  I  have,  however,  thought  it  would  be  worth  con 
sidering  whether  he  should  not  bring  forward  resolutions,  ap 
proving  the  conduct  of  the  administration,  and  disapproving 
that  of  the  opposition,  and  supporting  them  by  a  good  strong 
speech.  This  would,  perhaps,  have  two  good  effects ;  it  would, 
in  the  first  place,  compel  Mr.  Adams's  friends  to  act  with  him, 
and,  in  the  second  place,  it  would  oblige  Mr.  Hill's  friends  to 
take  their  side.  All  this,  however,  is  for  future  consideration. 

When  you  have  time,  not  better  employed,  I  shall  be  glad  to 
hear  from  you.  If  I  should  not  return  from  Boscawen  by  your 
way,  I  shall  take  another  early  opportunity  to  go  to  Portsmouth. 

To-morrow,  Thursday,  I  am  going  down  to  dine  with  the 
judge.  Yours,  always  truly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.   MILLS    TO    MR.   WEBSTER. 


New  York,  June  9,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  just  learned  the  result  of  the  choice  of 
Senator,  on  the  part  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  I  as 
sure  you,  with  the  utmost  sincerity,  that  it  is  as  gratifying  to  me 


420  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

as  it  is  creditable  to  the  House,  and  will  be  beneficial  to  the 
Commonwealth  and  the  nation. 

I  regret,  however,  that  I  had  not  known  your  views  in  season 
to  prevent  any  votes  being  thrown  away  upon  me.  I  should 
certainly  have  done  so,  had  I  not  been  assured,  by  an  extract 
of  a  letter,  read  to  me  as  coming  from  you,  that  you  would  not 
consent  to  be  a  candidate ;  and  that  the  choice  would  probably 
fall  on  Mr.  John  Mills.  This  I  was  willing  to  prevent,  I  confess ; 
and  in  consequence  of  all  this,  I  now  appear  before  the  public 
as  an  unsuccessful  candidate  for  an  office  which,  Heaven  knows, 
I  sincerely  wished  not  to  hold,  and  as  having  incurred  an  im 
plied  vote  of  censure  for  my  past  services.  I  have  the  vanity  to 
believe,  however,  that  this  was  not  intended,  and  that  I  shall 
have  credit  for  honest  intentions  and  pure  motives  in  the  dis 
charge  of  my  public  duties,  and  of  having  served  the  State, 
which  has  so  long  honored  me  with  its  confidence,  with  fidelity 
and  zeal,  and  a  sincere  desire  to  promote  its  honor  and  interests, 
however  inadequate  my  capacity  may  have  been  to  accomplish 
the  object.  The  consciousness  of  this  will,  at  any  rate,  be  a 
source  of  no  small  gratification  to  me  through  life. 

My  health  is  gradually  improving,  and  I  hope  to  reach  home 
in  the  course  of  next  week.  I  shall  leave  New  York  on  Mon 
day,  and  probably  stop  a  few  days  in  New  Haven. 

With  great  regard  and  esteem,  I  am,  dear  Sir,  very  respect 
fully,  Your  obedient  servant, 

E.  H.  MILLS. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    SPRAGUE. 
[PRIVATE.] 

Boston,  June  20,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  must  not  omit  longer  to  thank  you  for  all 
the  kind  things  you  have  said  and  done  in  connection  with  re 
cent  events. 

I  beg  you  to  be  assured  that  I  am  not  and  shall  not  be  in 
sensible  to  the  effect  which  your  good  wishes  and  good  efforts 
have  produced.  I  hope  to  have  a  long  memory  for  friendship 
and  kindness,  as  I  desire  a  short  one  for  injuries  and  acts  of 


DANIEL   WEBSTER. 

injustice ;  none  of  which  last,  however,  have  I  ever  received  at 
your  hands. 

They  appear  to  go  on  nobly  in  New  Hampshire,  except  in  one 
respect.  They  confined  their  call  for  an  administration  meet 
ing  to  "  Republicans  "  exclusively  ;  thereby  shutting  out  more 
than  one  third  of  the  legislature,  and  nearly  all  men  of  talents, 
though  all  well  disposed.  Mr.  Bell  means  well,  but  he  is  yet 
afraid  of  Hill. 

I  rejoice  that  you  are  going  to  Harrisburg.  It  will  be  an  ex 
cellent  thing,  both  for  you  and  the  public.  I  mean  to  persuade 
my  brother,  who  is  appointed  to  go  from  New  Hampshire,  to 
accept  the  appointment.  I  venture  to  say  you  will  be  pleased 
with  him,  as  a  man  of  sense  and  information.  I  hope  to  see. 
you  before  your  departure.  Mrs.  Webster  has  been  quite  ill. 
She  is  now  well  enough  to  ride,  and  I  propose  taking  a  journey 
with  her,  and  then  I  go  to  the  court  at  Nantucket,  from  all 
which,  however,  I  expect  to  be  home  by  the  10th  or  15th  of  July, 
which  will  be  before  you  set  off. 

Yours,  very  truly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  July  20,  1827. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  have  received  yours  from  Londonderry. 
You  cannot  disapprove  and  dislike  the  party  proceeding  at 
Concord,  more  than  I  do.  I  hold  it  equally  unjust  and  impol 
itic.  I  would  not  support  the  administration  one  hour  if  I 
supposed  it  countenanced  such  a  narrow  and  bigoted  policy. 
Of  this  sentiment  I  make  no  secret.  Governor  Bell  means  well, 
as  I  believe,  but  I  do  think  he  has  made  a  great  mistake.  It  is 
miserable,  it  is  miserable  indeed,  if  those  who  are  inclined  to 
support  the  administration,  find  it  or  think  it  necessary  to 
make  an  apology  for  such  an  act  as  the  appointment  of  Mr. 
King. 

If  you  find  it  necessary,  for  your  own  justification,  to  speak 
on  these  subjects,  tell  the  whole  truth,  right  out,  plainly,  and  go 
VOL.  i.  36 


422  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

at  once  to  the  people ;  they  will  be  with  you.  I  hope,  how 
ever,  the  resolutions  may  be  of  a  character  so  liberal  as  that  you 
can  support  them.  I  am  more  and  more  persuaded  that  the 
true  way  was  for  you,  or  some  of  your  friends,  to  have  intro 
duced  the  resolutions  yourselves. 

I  am  glad  you  go  to  Harrisburg.  It  will  be  both  useful  and 
pleasant  to  you.  I  shall  of  course  see  you  here  a  day  or  two, 
on  your  way.  By  all  means  go.  Make  some  arrangement  of 
your  Concord  court  business.  Make  Mr.  Mason  attend 'to  it,  or 
Brother  Stevens. 

The  meeting,  I  hear,  is  now  expected  to  be  on  the  30th  July. 
It  is  precisely  the  season  to  see  Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  Webster 
is  getting  well.  At  the  end  of  this  week  I  take  her  to  Sand 
wich;  thence  I  go  to  Nantucket  court,  return  by  Plymouth 
court,  and  get  home  the  10th  August. 

All  is  well  in  New  York.  We  can  do  without  New  Hamp 
shire,  if  narrow  counsels  make  it  necessary  to  give  her  up. 
Yet  I  should  be  ashamed  if  our  native  State  should  act 
foolishly.  Yours, 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    SILSBEE. 

New  York,  December  1,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  kept  here  by  a  concurrence  of  unfortu 
nate  circumstances.  Mrs.  Webster's  health  was  not  entirely 
good  when  we  left  home,  but  still,  such  as  to  allow  the  hope 
that  we  should  be  able  to  travel  with  ordinary  speed.  Our 
unfortunate  passage  from  Providence  increased  her  debility,  and 
since  she  has  arrived  here,  an  accidental  cause  has  contributed 
to  make  her  case  worse.  From  this  last,  however,  she  is  now 
fast  recovering,  and  I  trust  will  be  able  to  travel  on  Monday. 
To-day  I  have  myself  a  very  painful  attack  of  rheumatism, 
occasioned,  I  suppose,  by  a  violent  cold  I  took  on  the  way ; 
and  am  not  now  able  to  leave  my  room.  This  will  be  better, 
however,  I  trust  soon ;  so  that  my  present  hopes  are  to  set  for 
ward  on  Monday.  We  shall  not  make  a  moment's  stop  for 
any  purpose  not  connected  with  health.  I  hope  I  may  not  be 
needed  before  I  can  arrive  with  my  family.  But  if  it  were  likely 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  423 

that  I  should  be,  I  would  leave  them,  at  whatever  inconvenience, 
and  proceed  by  the  most  rapid  conveyance,  if  my  own  health 
should  be  such  as  to  allow  of  it.  You  will  receive  this  on 
Monday,  and  I  will  thank  you  to  write  me,  addressed  to  Phila 
delphia,  saying  whether  any  thing  is  expected  to  occur,  in 
which  my  vote  may  be  essential.  I  am  fully  aware  of  the 
general  importance  of  every  member's  presence  at  this  moment 
in  the  Senate  ;  and  I  feel  extreme  anxiety  in  consequence  of  my 
own  unavoidable  absence,  even  for  a  single  day.  Still,  I  am 
desirous  of  keeping  my  wife  and  children  with  me,  if  possible  ; 
as  I  should  otherwise  be  obliged  to  return  for  them.  Let  me 
hear  from  you  as  above  requested.  I  write  this  not  without 
great  inconvenience.  I  can  neither  walk  nor  sit  upright. 

Yours,  DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.    MILLS    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Northampton,  December  3,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — If  you  will  put  the  enclosed  in  a  way  of 
speedily  reaching  Mr.  Barrell,  you  will  confer  a  favor  on  both 
him  and  me.  If  time  permitted  I  should  probably  give  you 
some  further  trouble,  but  must  postpone  it  for  a  day  or  two. 
At  present,  I  can  only  say  that  my  health  is  considerably 
improved  since  I  left  Boston,  although  the  cold  weather  has 
shut  me  up,  I  suppose  for  the  winter,  if  I  live  through  it.  My 
professional  pursuits  are  entirely  suspended,  and  all  continued 
efforts  of  the  lungs  forbidden.  I  congratulate  you,  my  dea* 
Sir,  on  your  preservation  through  the  perils  of  your  steamboat 
passage,  and  most  sincerely  hope  you  experienced  a  continuance 
of  the  same  providential  protection  through  your  journey,  and 
are  now  safely  located  with  your  family  in  comfortable  quarters. 
Although  I  truly  rejoice  that  I  am  not  obliged  to  mingle  in  the. 
strifes  and  debates  of  the  Capitol,  I  am  very  anxious  to  hear 
how  they  are  managed  and  how  they  terminate.  Should  your 
multiplied  engagements  allow  you  to  drop  me  a  few  lines 
occasionally,  I  assure  you  they  will  contribute  much  towards 
rendering  my  solitude  less  dreary.  I  am  so  well  acquainted 
with  most  of  your  fellow-laborers  that  all  their  movements  pos- 


424  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

sess  with  me  no  little  interest  Even  the  solemn  foppery  of 
Colonel  K.  and  the  mock-heroics  of  Governor  B.,  ridiculous  as 
they  are,  afford  me  amusement  when  higher  matter  fails.  But 
I  am  already  trespassing  upon  the  mail  hour.  Mrs.  Mills  unites 
with  me  in  cordial  regards  to  Mrs.  Webster  and  family,  and 
believe  me, 

Dear  Sir,  yours  truly, 

E.  H.  MILLS. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

New  York,  December  5,  7  p.  M.,  1827. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — I  must  now  write  you  more  fully  upon  the 
afflicting  state  of  Mrs.  Webster's  health.  Dr.  Post,  a  very 
eminent  physician  and  surgeon,  has  to-day  been  called  into 
consultation  with  Dr.  Perkins.  Their  opinion,  I  am  distressed 
to  say,  is  far  from  favorable.  I  believe  they  will  recommend  her 
return  to  Boston  as  soon  as  convenient.  They  seem  to  think 
that  it  is  very  uncertain  how  fast  or  how  slow  may  be  the  pro 
gress  of  the  complaint ;  but  they  hold  out  faint  hopes  of  any  cure. 
I  hope  I  may  be  able  to  meet  the  greatest  of  all  earthly  afflic 
tions  with  firmness,  but  I  need  not  say  that  I  am  at  present 
quite  overcome.  I  have  not  yet  communicated  to  Mrs.  Webster 
what  the  physicians  think.  That  dreadful  task  remains.  She 
will  receive  the  information,  I  am  sure,  as  a  Christian  ought. 
Under  present  circumstances,  I  should  be  very  glad  if  you  could 
come  here,  although  I  would  not  wish  you  to  put  yourself  to 
too  much  inconvenience.  I  should  be  very  glad  myself  to  go  to 
Washington,  though  it  were  but  for  a  single  day,  but  I  should 
not  do  that  unless  in  the  mean  time  Mrs.  Webster  could  be  on 
her  return.  I  shall  now  make  no  move  until  I  hear  from  you 
in  answer  to  this  letter.  If  you  come  on,  I  think  the  best  way 
will  be  to  take  the  mail  stage-coach,  with  the  chance  of  finding 
ai:  evening  boat  at  New  Haven.  You  must  let  Fletcher  know, 
without  alarming  him  too  much,  that  his  mother's  health  is 
precarious,  and  that  she  will  probably  return  home.  I  am  not 
yet  able  to  write,  as  you  see,  though  I  think  I  am  getting  better. 

Yours  truly, 

DAN'L    WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  425 

P.  S.  8  o'clock. — I  would  fain  hope  that  the  foregoing  is  of 
too  alarming  a  character.  I  have  since  seen  Mrs.  Webster  and 
told  her  the  doctors'  opinions.  She  says  she  still  has  courage. 
If  you  can  come  on  so  as  to  accompany  Mrs.  Webster  home,  it 
will  not  be  necessary  that  you  should  set  out  the  very  day  you 
receive  this.  But  I  shall  not  myself  go  to  Washington  until  I 
hear  from  you  that  you  can  come  to  take  Mrs.  Webster  home, 
if  need  be. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    SILSBEE. 

New  York,  December  9,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  sorry  not  to  be  able  to  give  you  a  better 
account  of  myself,  and  especially  that  I  am  obliged  to  speak  so 
unfavorably  of  Mrs.  Webster's  health.  I  have  not  yet  been  able 
to  leave  the  house,  nor  indeed  was  I  able  to  quit  my  own  room 
till  yesterday  evening.  I  am  getting  better,  however,  and  if  the 
weather  \vere  not  so  particularly  unfavorable,  I  should  have 
hopes  of  setting  forward  in  a  day  or  two. 

My  great  affliction  is  the  state  of  Mrs.  Webster's  health. 
Whether  it  is  best  for  her  to  return  to  Boston,  or  to  remain 
some  time  here,  with  a  hope  of  being  able  hereafter  to  proceed 
to  Washington,  is  a  question  difficult  to  decide.  She  is  very 
unwilling  to  return ;  and  the  physicians  do  not  encourage  her 
further  progress  South.  I  am  now  in  the  hourly  expectation 
of  the  arrival  of  her  brother,  Mr.  Paige,  when  we  shall  determine 
on  something.  It  is  most  probable,  I  think,  that  she  will  return 
to  Boston  with  Mr.  Paige,  and  that  I  shall  proceed  South  with 
out  her.  It  is  possible,  however,  she  may  stay  here,  in  the  hope 
of  being  able  to  accompany  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Story,  some  three 
weeks  hence,  to  Washington,  as  I  have  already  said. 
Yours,  with  most  true  regard, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 
36* 


426  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  TO  EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 

Washington,  December  17,  1827. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  arrived  here  but  last  night,  and  have  first 
to  say  that  I  left  my  wife  sick  at  New  York.  Her  complaint, 
which  is  partly  local,  has  been  of  some  time  standing,  but  we 
did  not  think  much  of  it  till  lately.  I  fear  now  it  is  dangerous. 
She  was  much  more  comfortable  when  I  left  New  York  than 
she  had  been  for  a  fortnight ;  but  whether  permanently  better 
I  know  not.  Mr.  Paige  is  now  there  with  her,  at  Dr.  Perkins's. 
If  she  should  get  so  well  as  to  be  able  to  travel,  I  shall  go  back 
for  her.  On  the  other  hand,  if  she  grow  worse,  I  must  go  and 
stay  with  her.  I  know  not  how  Providence  will  dispose  of  this 
threatening  case;  but  at  present  it  fills  me  with  the  keenest 
anxiety. 

I  find  here  two  letters  from  you,  and  have  received  another 
to-day.  As  soon  as  I  have  been  here  long  enough  to  learn 
what  is  the  state  of  things,  I  will  write  you  on  political  matters. 

I  find  our  friends  here  not  despairing. 

Yours  as  ever, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    JUDGE    STORY. 

Washington,  Dec-oinber  18,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Yours  of  the  13th,  addressed  to  New  York, 
has  followed  me  hither.  My  own  health  was  so  far  restored, 
that  on  Thursday,  the  13th,  I  ventured  to  set  forth,  and  arrived 
here  Sunday  evening,  the  16th,  without  inconvenience,  and 
with  far  better  health  than  I  had  when  I  left  New  York.  I  do 
not  now  write  myself  an  invalid. 

I  left  Mrs.  Webster  at  New  York.  Her  health  was  bad, 
though  better  than  it  had  been.  I  know  not  whether  you  are 
acquainted  with  the  nature  of  her  complaint ;  though  Dr.  War 
ren  or  Mr.  Ticknor  will  readily  explain  it  to  you.  My  last  letter, 
December  16,  says  she  is  on  the  whole  "  better  than  any  time 
before  since  she  came  to  New  York."  I  am  still  in  great  hopes 
of  her  being  able  to  join  me  here.  Mr.  Paige  is  now  with  her, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  427 

and  will  stay  till  Christmas.  If  she  should  be  able  to  travel,  I 
expect  to  go  for  her  and  bring  her  along.  I  desired  Mr.  Paige 
to  keep  you  informed. 

Our  rooms  I  found  all  ready  and  in  order ;  and  notwithstand 
ing  Mrs.  Webster's  illness  they  will  be  kept  for  her,  and  for  you 
and  Mrs.  Story.  Our  good  landlady  has  done  all  in  her  power 
to  prepare  for  us  ;  and  if  my  poor  wife  had  health,  I  should  look 
forward  to  a  happy  session.  And  as  it  is  I  hope  for  the  best. 
You  say  you  shall  set  out  by  the  29th.  I  have  given  that 
information  this  morning  to  Mr.  Silsbee's  and  Mr.  Crownin- 
shield's  families,  and  they  hope  only  that  it  may  be  earlier.  I 
am  sure  Mrs.  Story  will  find  herself  pleasantly  situated  here. 
As  to  political  affairs,  I  have  not  been  here  long  enough  .to 
learn  much.  I  find  our  friends  not  discouraged.  Virginia  ap 
pears  to  be  showing  great  strength  for  the  administration,  and 
many  hopes  are  entertained  of  her  final  vote  that  way  The 
weather  has  been  so  bad,  I  have  as  yet  seen  very  few  persons, 
since  I  came  here. 

I  am  glad  Mason  succeeded  in  The  Argonaut.  It  is  a  good 
cause,  whatever  Judge  P.  may  think  of  it,  and  must  finally  pre 
vail.  It  would  not  give  rise  to  a  serious  doubt  in  any  other 
part  of  the  Union,  at  least  I  think  so. 

I  shall  write  you  again  shortly ;  and  in  the  mean  time  am, 
with  all  my  heart, 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


P.  S.     Remember  my  regards  to  Mrs.  Story. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MILLS. 

Washington,  December  19,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  arrived  here  only  on  Sunday  evening,  the 
16th  instant.  You  are  acquainted  probably  with  the  causes  of 
my  detention  for  a  fortnight  in  New  York.  I  left  Mrs.  Webster 
there  still  quite  unwell.  My  last  letters  represent  her  as  much 
more  comfortable  and  free  from  pain  than  she  had  been,  but  I 
feel  the  greatest  anxiety  as  to  the  original  cause  of  her  illness. 

I   found   here   your   letter   of    the   3d,  and    despatched    its 


428  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

enclosure  to  Mr.  Barrell.  It  gave  me  great  pleasure  to  hear 
from  you,  and  to  know  that  thus  far  you  are  getting  along 
through  the  winter  with  less  inconvenience  than  was  expected. 
I  hope  we  shall  have  little  weather  more  severe  than  was 
experienced  the  latter  part  of  last  month. 

As  yet  I  feel  new  and  strange  in  the  Senate.  My  habits 
have  become  conformed  to  the  course  and  manner  of  things  else 
where  ;  and  it  will  require  time  to  enable  me  to  feel  at  home 
where  I  now  am.  According  to  present  appearances,  there  will 
be  little  for  me  to  do.  Our  adversaries  undoubtedly  have  a 
majority,  and  I  think  the  true  course  is  to  let  them  exercise  it, 
as  seems  to  them  good.  Why  should  we  be  responsible  for 
what  we  cannot  control  ? 

To-day  we  have  heard  Colonel  Johnson's  "  Annual"  on 
abolition  of  imprisonment;  sound,  practical,  systematic,  and 
coherent ! 

The  good  Deacon  Bradford  is  here,  a  sort  of  agent  for  the 
revolutionary  officers.  He  has,  as  you  will  see,  trusted  their 
cause  in  the  Senate  to  Mr.  Woodbury.  Be  it  so.  No  con 
siderable  debate  has  arisen  yet  in  either  House.  P.  P.  Barber's 
resolution,  to  sell  out  of  the  bank,  is  expected  to  be  called  up 
to-morrow. 

The  Senate  room  is  transmogrified  since  last  session.  The 
Vice-President  sits  opposite  the  main  door,  and  faces  his  former 
seat.  The  seats  are  crowded,  and  altogether  the  arrangement 
is  not  good.  ,  My  place,  Hobson's  choice,  is  nearest  the  chair 
on  its  left  hand.  It  was  left  by  forty-seven  wiser  heads  than 
mine,  and  yet  I  believe  it  the  best  seat  in  the  chamber. 

Mrs.  Adams's  first  drawing-room  was  last  night;  I  was 
not  there,  but  believe  she  is  not  at  all  well.  The  President 
is  tolerably  well,  and  Mr.  Clay  also,  whose  faith  and  courage 
still  hold  out.  I  hear  he  has  thought  it  necessary  to  put 
forth  another  publication  on  the  combination  question,  which 
is  expected  soon  to  appear.  I  regret  it ;  though  I  am  told  it 
is  very  satisfactorily  done.  This,  I  believe,  is  not  yet  a  public 
matter. 

It  will  be  one  of  my  most  agreeable  duties,  my  dear  Sir.  to 
write  to  you,  and  to  forward  you  any  thing  to  occupy  your 
hours ;  it  will  be  still  more  gratifying  to  be  useful  to  you  in  any 
more  important  respect. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  429 

When  you  have  leisure  and  strength,  I  shall  be  happy  to  hear 
from  you. 

Yours  always  truly, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

December  25,  Christmas  noon,  1827. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — Your  letter  of  Sunday  has  this  moment 
reached  me,  in  which  you  say  Mrs.  Webster  would  be  glad  if  it 
should  be  quite  convenient  for  me  that  I  would  come  to  New 
York  to  meet  Judge  Story,  and  I  certainly  shall  do  so.  I  can 
not  go  for  a  day  or  two,  because  my  cold  is  too  severe ;  but  there 
is  nothing  to  prevent  my  setting  off  so  soon  as  I  am  quite  well. 
Judge  Story  wrote  me  that  he  should  probably  set  out  about  the 
29th,  which  is  next  Saturday. 

Possibly  I  may  not  leave  here  before  Monday,  the  31st ;  but 
even  then  I  shall  be  in  New  York  as  soon  as  the  judge.  On 
receipt  of  this,  I  will  thank  you  to  write  me,  saying  whether 
Mrs.  Webster  wishes  me  to  bring  any  of  hers  or  the  children's 
things  along  with  me.  Your  letter,  if  written  on  Friday  morn 
ing,  will  be  here  on  Sunday,  so  that  if  I  happen  to  stay  till 
Monday,  I  shall  get  it.  Probably  I  shall  go  off  before  Monday ; 
this  will  depend  a  little  as  well  on  the  weather  and  the  state  of 
the  public  conveyances  as  on  my  getting  rid  of  my  cold. 

I  hope,  if  it  be  not  too  inconvenient,  you  will  stay  till  I  come, 
and  then  we  can  talk  about  Grace's  going  to  Boston,  or  Wash 
ington.  The  tone  of  your  letters,  for  three  or  four  days,  has 
been  so  much  more  favorable  than  before,  that  I  feel  encouraged. 
It  will  be  dull  to  her,  I  fear,  to  be  left  again  by  me,  after  you 
are  gone  ;  but  then  I  must  come  here,  despatch  some  few  things, 
and  return  to  her  again.  I  shall  let  no  business,  public  or  pri 
vate,  prevent  attention  to  her,  as  the  first  duty. 

My  cold  is  better  to-day,  but  still  I  am  not  quite  well.  Indeed, 
t*j  much  of  rheumatism,  and  then  so  severe  a  cold,  have  rather 
reduced  this  corporeal  system  of  mine  to  some  little  degree  of 
weakness.  Two  or  three  days  of  good  weather,  which  I  know 
not  when  we  shall  see  again,  would  do  me  a  great  deal  of 
good. 


430  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

You  will  of  course  send  this  to  Grace,  as  I  shall  not  write 
another  to-day. 

Yours  always  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 
P.  S.     Again  to-morrow. 

My  Christmas  dinner  is  a  handful  of  magnesia,  a  bowl  of 
gruel. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Washington,  December  26,  1827. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — I  cannot  write  you  now  a  political  letter, 
but  must  tell  you  something  about  me  and  mine.  I  came  here 
the  17th,  pretty  free  of  rheumatism,  but  have  since  had  a  violent 
and  obstinate  cold,  which  finally  has  brought  me  to  keep  house. 
It  is  now,  I  think,  better ;  but  it  will  be  two  or  three  days  before 
I  shall  be  well  again,  at  best.  Mrs.  Webster,  as  you  know,  I 
left  in  New  York,  quite  sick.  She  has  been  perhaps,  on  the 
whole,  from  the  time  of  my  departure  to  the  date  of  my  last 
letter,  a  good  deal  more  comfortable  and  free  from  pain  than  for 
the  fortnight  I  was  in  New  York.  I  cannot  say  that  her  sub 
stantial  cause  of  illness  is  better ;  but  Mr.  Paige  writes  on  the 
23d  that  he  thinks  more  favorably  of  the  future  progress  and 
final  result  of  the  complaint  than  I  did,  when  I  left  New 
York.  It  is  a  tumor  of  rather  anomalous  character,  and  The 
best  surgeons  look  upon  it  with  much  fear  of  consequences.  It 
seems  to  have  a  tendency  to  break  out ;  this  they  dread,  and  try 
to  disperse  it ;  although  its  real  character,  perhaps,  can  only  be 
fully  known  when  that  shall  take  place.  I  would  not  alarm 
myself  or  my  friends,  unnecessarily ;  but,  to  say  the  truth,  my 
dear  Sir,  I  fear  the  worst.  I  shall  leave  here,  if  I  am  well 
enough,  on  Saturday,  for  New  York.  There  I  expect  to  meet 
the  Judge  and  Mrs.  Story.  Whether  I  shall  return  hither  with 
her,  or  stay  at  New  York,  or  endeavor  to  get  Mrs.  Webster 
home,  must  be  decided  by  the  state  of  things  which  I  shall  find 
existing  when  I  get  there.  If  it  should  be  probable,  which  the 
surgeons  somewhat  incline  to  suppose,  that  my  wife  may  remain 
for  a  considerable  time  without  essential  change,  I  do  not  <»•»• 
that  the  superior  duty  of  being  with  her  must  not  lead  to  the 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  431 

vacation  of  the  situation  which  I  fill  here.  I  should  be  very 
glad  to  hear  from  you,  directed  to  New  York,  care  of  Dr.  Per 
kins,  Fulton  street. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  most  truly  yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    SILSBEE. 

New  York,  January  4,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  arrived  here  yesterday  at  eleven  o'clock, 
after  a  very  tolerable  journey,  and  without  having  added  any 
thing  to  my  cold.  Indeed,  I  think  it  is  better  than  when  I  left 
Washington. 

I  find  Mrs.  Webster  more  comfortable,  on  the  whole,  than  I 
expected.  She  has  now  enjoyed  more  rest  and  repose,  and  more 
freedom  from  pain,  for  three  days  together,  than  in  any  equal 
time  since  we  came  here,  six  weeks  ago.  She  has  lost  flesh  since 
I  left  her,  however,  and  is  now  feeble. 

As  to  the  original  cause  of  her  illness,  I  do  not  know  exactly 
what  to  think  of  it.  Some  symptoms  are  certainly  a  little 
more  favorable.  I  cannot  help  getting  a  little  new  hope,  on  the 
whole ;  though  I  fear  I  build  on  a  slight  foundation. 

I  find  here  Judge  Story  and  his  wife.  They  are  in  very  good 
health.  He  has  not  looked  so  well  for  a  long  time.  It  is  a 
great  thing  to  get  him  out  of  his  study.  They  set  off  this  after 
noon,  being  anxious  to  get  over  the  Chesapeake  before  the 
boat  stops.  They  will  take  possession  of  the  rooms  at  Mrs. 
Mclntyre's,  where  I  hope  to  join  them  soon.  Mr.  Paige  went 
to  Boston  yesterday.  As  soon  as  he  shall  be  able  to  return, 
which  I  think  will  be  in  a  few  days,  I  shall  return  to  Washing 
ton,  if  Mrs.  Webster  remains  as  comfortable  as  at  present. 
I  am,  my  dear  Sir,  with  most  true  regard,  yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  Mr.  Clay's  address  seems  to  meet  with  universal  ap 
probation. 


432  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    SILSBEE. 

New  York,  January  8,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  thank  you  for  your  letter  of  the  4th,  and  for 
the  friendly  manner  in  which  you  applied  for  my  leave  of  ab 
sence. 

Mrs.  Webster  remains  essentially  the  same  as  when  I  wrote 
you  last,  except  that  I  think  she  had  not  quite  so  comfortable  a 

night  last  night. 

******* 

Of  the  three  physicians  who  have  attended  her  here,  (Dr.  Per 
kins,  Dr.  Post,  and  Dr.  Hosack,)  the  former  only  thinks  he  ever 
saw  such  a  case  before.  A  description  of  it,  made  out  by  Dr. 
Perkins,  has  been  sent  to  Dr.  Physick,  and  also  to  Dr.  Nathan 
Smith  of  New  Haven,  for  their  opinion  and  advice.  I  have 
written  an  urgent  letter  to  Dr.  Warren,  to  come  to  New  York, 
to  consult  with  the  physicians  here. 

My  own  health  is  mending,  and  if  we  could  have  a  little  clear 
weather,  I  think  I  should  soon  be  well. 

We  have  no  news  here.  The  thick  weather  is  supposed  to 
have  kept  back  the  packets.  That  of  November  24,  is  not  yet 
arrived.  Yours  very  truly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  I  suppose  Judge  Story  will  be  with  you  nearly  as  soon 
as  you  receive  this,  unless  he  stopped  in  Philadelphia. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

New  York,  January  8,  1828. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  came  here  from  Washington  on  Friday 
the  4th.  There  are  so  many  friends  to  write  to  on  the  subject 
of  Mrs.  Webster's  health,  that  I  fear  I  may  neglect  some ;  and 
hardly  know  how  long  it  is  since  I  wrote  you.  William,  how 
ever,  has  written  occasionally  to  his  friends  in  your  vicinity. 

I  cannot  say  any  thing  new  in  regard  to  Mrs.  Webster.  Her 
case  is  most  serious.  It  is  one  of  rare  occurrence  ;  no  physician 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  433 

here,  but  Dr.  Perkins,  thinking  he  ever  saw  one  like  it.  The 
tumor  has  not  yet  broke  out,  but  threatens  it,  and  will,  doubt 
less,  soon.  Its  character  will  be  then  better  known,  and  I  fear  the 
worst.  Dr.  Nathan  Smith,  Dr.  Physick,  &c.  have  been  written  to 
for  opinions  and  advice ;  and  I  have  written  an  urgent  letter  to 
Dr.  Warren  to  come  here.  After  all,  the  case  is  very  much  out 
of  the  reach  of  medical  application,  or  surgical  aid.  The 
tumor  is  so  large,  so  situated,  embracing  so  many  muscles, 
nerves,  and  blood  vessels,  that  an  operation  is  not  to  be  thought 
of.  Internal  remedies  dp  not  reach  it,  and  external  applications 
have  little  effect.  The  result  must  be  left  with  Providence  ;  but 
you  must  be  prepared  to  learn  the  worst.  For  three  or  four 
days,  she  has  been  more  free  from  pain  than  for  some  time  be 
fore  ;  but  yesterday  she  was  a  good  deal  distressed  again. 
William  Paige  went  home  the  day  I  came.  He  thinks  he  can 
return  in  a  week  or  ten  days,  and  stay  till  I  make  a  visit  to  the 
court  at  Washington,  if  Mrs.  Webster  should  be  so  as  to  allow 
of  my  leaving  her.  You  will,  of  course,  not  alarm  your  wife  and 
Mrs.  Kelly,  and  Nancy,  too  much  in  regard  to  Grace.  There  is 
yet  a  hope ;  but  I  have  thought  it  best  to  tell  you  my  real 
opinion. 

My  own  health  has  suffered  from  continued  colds  and  catarrhs. 
Though  not  quite  well  even  yet,  I  have  no  dangerous  or  bad 
symptoms.  I  feel  no  inflammation  of  the  lungs,  or  soreness  of  the 
chest,  nor  any  febrile  symptoms.  An  epidemic  cold  is  all  about 
here,  and  I  partake  in  it ;  but  it  appears  to  be  getting  better,  and 
I  have  no  doubt  that  two  or  three  clear  days  would  finish  it. 
Julia  and  Edward  are  pretty  well ;  they  go  to  school.  Grace 
and  the  children  desire  their  best  love  to  Mrs.  Webster  and  the 
little  girls,  as  well  as  to  you. 

Yours  always  truly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

New  York,  January  15,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  thank  you  for  your  kind  and  friendly  letter, 
and  wish  I  could  feel  justified  in  confirming  those   favorable 
hopes  which  your  friendship  leads  you  to  form,  in  regard  to  my 
VOL.  i.  37 


434  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

sick  wife.  Would  to  God  I  were  able  to  encourage  my  own 
hopes,  and  yours  also.  But  I  fear,  greatly  fear,  that  Providence 
has  not  so  ordered  it.  Although  she  is  better  one  day  than 
another,  that  is,  more  comfortable,  more  free  from  severe  pain, 
yet  I  do  not  see  any  material  change  in  that  which  has  occa 
sioned  her  illness.  The  tumor  remains  as  hard  and  unmanage 
able  as  ever.  It  seems  altogether  beyond  the  reach  of  human 
art.  Nothing  removes,  nothing  softens  it,  In  the  mean  time, 
so  much  pain  and  illness  begin  to  affect  the  general  health,  and 
some  indications  appear  of  what  I  have  all  along  feared,  since 
I  formed  any  notion  of  the  disease,  of  an  affection  produced  by 
it  on  the  chest  and  lungs.  For  the  last  two  days  there  has  been 
less  of  acute  pain  in  the  limb,  but  more  of  stiffness  and  numb 
ness  ;  I  mean  in  the  whole  limb  below  the  tumor.  She  has 
complained  also  of  weakness  of  the  breast,  and  manifested  con 
siderable  difficulty  in  breathing.  Large  glandular  swellings 
appear  also  in  other  parts  of  the  body,  especially  about  the  ab 
domen.  On  the  whole,  though  there  is  less  of  suffering,  I  think 
the  danger  is  plainly  increased.  The  tumor  itself  has  not  yet 
broken  through  the  skin,  and  does  not  look  quite  so  much  threat 
ening  to-day  as  it  did  yesterday. 

After  all,  my  dear  Sir,  we  have  a  ray  of  hope.  I  try  to  keep  up 
my  courage,  and  to  strengthen  hers  ;  but  it  is  due  to  our  friend 
ship  that  I  tell  you  the  whole  truth.  I  have  endeavored  to  pre 
pare  myself  for  that  event  of  all  others  the  most  calamitous  to 
me  and  to  my  children. 

I  thank  you  for  your  advice  as  to  myself,  and  shall  certainly 
follow  it.  In  all  probability,  I  shall  stay  here  for  some  time  yet. 
I  fear  circumstances  will  not  be  such  as  that  I  can  leave,  even 
after  Mr.  Paige  comes,  nor  am  I  very  anxious  to  do  so.  There 
seems  nothing  important  in  Congress ;  and  I  must  try  to  make 
some  arrangement  of  my  business  in  court. 

My  health,  though  not  entirely  confirmed,  is  daily  improving. 
I  have  the  remnant  of  an  epidemical  cold,  a  little  loose  cough  and 
catarrh;  no  soreness  of  breast,  nor  inflammation  of  the  lungs, 
nor  any  feverish  tendency.  Be  assured,  my  dear  Sir,  I  shall 
take  all  possible  care  of  my  own  health. 

Ten  o'clock  p.  M.  Mrs.  Webster  is  now  asleep,  and  is  free 
from  severe  pain,  but  breathes  not  easily.  She  is  a  good  deal 
inclined  to  sleep.  I  leave  a  space  to  tell  you  how  she  may  be 
in  the  morning. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  435 

Wednesday  morning',  eight  o'clock. — Mrs.  Webster  passed 
rather  a  comfortable  night.  She  had  less  cough  than  I  appre 
hended,  and  seems  calm  and  quiet  this  morning.  She  thinks 
she  breathes  a  little  easier  than  yesterday.  Her  voice  is  faint, 
but  natural  in  its  tones. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

New  York,  January  17,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  BROTHER, — I  cannot  give  you  any  favorable  news 
respecting  my  wife.  She  is  no  better,  and  I  fear  is  daily 
growing  weaker.  She  is  now  exceedingly  feeble.  Dr.  Perkins 
thinks  she  has  altered  very  much  the  last  three  or  four  days. 

The  prospect  nearly  confounds  me ;  but  I  hope  to  meet  the 
event  with  submission  to  the  will  of  God. 

I  expect  Mr.  Paige  to-morrow  morning.  He  or  I  will  write 
you  again,  soon. 

Yours  affectionately, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


Monday  Morning,  January  21. 

DEAR  BROTHER, — Mrs.  Webster  still  lives,  but  is  evidently 
near  her  end.  We  did  not  expect  her  continuance  yesterday, 
from  hour  to  hour. 

Yours  affectionately, 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Monday  Morning,  9  o'clock. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Mrs.  Webster  still  lives,  but  cannot  possibly 
remain  long  with  us.  We  expected  her  decease  yesterday,  from 
hour  to  hour. 

I  received  Mrs.  Mason's  letter,  but  could  not  communicate  it. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


436  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Monday,  \  past  2  o'clock. 

DEAR  BROTHER, — Poor  Grace  has  gone  to  Heaven.     She  has 
now  just  breathed  her  last  breath. 

I  shall  go  with  her  forthwith  to  Boston,  and  on  receipt  of 
this,  I  hope  you  will  come  there  if  you  can. 

I  shall  stay  there  some  days.     May  God  bless  you  and  yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    LEE. 

Monday,  |  past  2  o'clock. 

MY  DEAR  ELIZA, — The  scene  is  ended,  and  Mrs.  Webster  has 
gone  to  God.  She  has  just  breathed  her  last  breath.  How  she 
died,  with  what  cheerfulness  and  submission,  with  what  hopes 
and  what  happiness,  how  kindly  she  remembered  her  friends, 
and  how  often  and  how  affectionately  she  spoke  of  you,  I 
hope  soon  to  be  able  to  tell  you ;  till  then,  adieu. 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     We  shall  all  proceed  immediately  to  Boston. 


MRS.    LEE    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Tuesday  Morning,  January  22,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — Before  this  reaches  you,  our  beloved 
friend  must  be  beyond  the  want  of  our  care  or  our  alleviations. 
She  is  happy !  Oh,  that  we  might  soon  go  to  meet  her,  where 
there  is  no  more  sorrow.  I  should  not  write  to  you  at  such  a 
moment,  for  I  know  that  the  deepest  sympathy  cannot  lessen 
your  affliction,  but  I  wish  to  ask  you  to  let  the  children  come 
to  me,  when  you  think  best  to  send  them  to  Boston  ;  and  to  let 
Julia  remain  with  me,  as  long  as  it  is  agreeable  to  you  and  to 
her.  My  husband  joins  in  this  request.  My  dear  friend  once 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  437 

said  to  me,  that  if  she  should  be  called  to  leave  her  children,  she 
should  feel  happy  in  leaving  them  to  my  care.  But  this  might 
have  been  the  feeling  of  the  moment,  and  you  know,  my  dear 
friend,  her  last  wishes  on  this  subject.  If  I  can  in  any  way 
lessen  your  cares  on  this  account  or  any  other,  you  know  my 
heart  and  you  will  trust  to  it.  Poor  Daniel,  I  fear,  did  not 
reach  New  York  to  see  his  mother.  Give  my  love  to  the 
children,  and  to  William.  He  must  feel  this  very  much.  When 
I  think  of  you  and  of  them,  my  own  loss  seems  as  nothing ;  but 
I  feel  that  it  is  irreparable,  and  that  no  one  else  can  fill  the 
place  to  me. 

I  am  always  yours, 

ELIZA  LEE. 
37* 


438  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


SKETCH 

OF    MRS.    G.    F.    WEBSTER    BY    MRS.    E.    BUCKMINSTER    LEE. 

January  23,  1856. 

My  DEAR  FLETCHER, — I  very  gladly  comply  with  your  request, 
to  furnish  you  with  some  memorials  of  your  mother  and  of  your 
sister  Grace,  in  order  to  assist  your  too  early  and  indistinct  rec 
ollection  of  those  precious  relatives;  for  although  they  are  to 
me  beings  of  the  shadowy  past,  they  can  never  fade  from  their 
place  in  my  memory,  where  the  individuality  and  beauty  of 
their  characters  are  as  fresh  as  when  retouched  every  day  by 
their  presence.  And  indeed,  to  borrow  the  thought  of  another, 
when  the  precious  memories  of  youth  revive,  the  present  seems 
to  vanish  and  become  indistinct,  and  the  long  past  to  be  the 
only  reality. 

But  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  think  or  speak  of  your 
mother  apart  from  the  relation  she  held  to  your  father.  Her 
being  was  inwrought  with  his.  The  tender  and  silken  thread  of 
her  life  was  inwoven  with  his  "  purple  and  gold."  She  not  only 
lived  in  his  shadow,  but  her  pulses  seemed  to  "  beat  double " 
with  his  and  her  life. 

My  earliest  recollection  of  your  father  is  when  he  came  to 
Portsmouth  in  1808  to  open  his  law  office.  His  appearance 
was  very  striking.  Slender,  and  apparently  of  delicate  organiza 
tion,  his  large  eyes  and  massive  brow  seemed  very  predominant 
above  the  other  features,  which  were  sharply  cut,  refined,  and 
delicate.  The  paleness  of  his  complexion  was  heightened  by 
hair  as  black  as  the  raven's  wing. 

I  will  mention  a  little  anecdote  connected  with  his  first  ap 
pearance.  He  had  arrived  in  Portsmouth  at  the  close  of  the 
week,  and  the  next  day  being  Sunday,  the  sexton,  as  was  the 
custom  in  those  days,  introduced  the  stranger  to  the  minister's 
pew.  My  eldest  sister  was  at  church,  and  when  she  came  home 


DANIEL   WEBSTEK.  439 

she  said  "  there  had  been  a  remarkable  person  in  the  pew  with 
her,  that  he  riveted  her  attention,  and  that  she  was  sure  he  had 
a  most  marked  character  for  good  or  for  evil."  After  a  short 
time  we  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  Webster,  and  there  was 
no  longer  a  problem  connected  with  him. 

Mr.  Webster  took  lodgings  very  near  our  house,  and  we  soon 
saw  enough  of  him  to  appreciate  in  some  degree,  young  as  we 
were,  his  extraordinary  genius,  and  the  noble  qualities  of  his 
character.  The  genial  and  exceedingly  rich  humor  that  he  so 
often  exhibited,  was  perhaps  at  this  time  more  prized  by  us 
than  any  other  of  the  diversified  talents  we  admired  in  him. 
He  soon  formed  a  circle  around  him  of  which  he  was  the  life 
and  soul.  We  young  people  saw  him  only  rarely  in  friendly 
visits.  I  well  remember  one  afternoon  that  he  came  in,  when 
the  elders  of  the  family  were  absent.  He  sat  down  by  the 
window,  and  as  now  and  then  an  inhabitant  of  the  small  town 
passed  through  the  street,  his  fancy  was  caught  by  their  appear 
ance  and  his  imagination  excited,  and  he  improvised  the  most 
humorous  imaginary  histories  about  them,  which  would  have 
furnished  a  rich  treasure  for  Dickens,  could  he  have  been  the 
delighted  listener,  instead  of  the  young  girl  for  whose  amuse 
ment  this  wealth  of  invention  was  expended.  Hon.  Mr.  Mason 
of  Portsmouth,  who  delighted  in  the  rich  humor  so  often  dis 
played  by  Mr.  Webster,  used  to  say,  "  that  there  was  never  such 
an  actor  lost  to  the  stage  as  he  would  have  made  had  he  chosen 
to  turn  his  talents  in  that  direction." 

My  father,  Dr.  Buckminster,  took  the  liveliest  interest  in  Mr. 
Webster,  and  as  he  remarked  at  this  time  the  apparent  frailty 
of  his  constitution,  he  urged  upon,  his  young  friend  his  sure 
remedy  for  slight  indisposition.  This  was  half  an  hour  of 
wood-sawing  before  breakfast',  with  a  long  two-handed  saw, 
himself  holding  the  end  opposite  to  that  of  his  young  friend. 
We  young  people  were  always  delighted  when  this  strong 
medicine  was  taken  before  breakfast,  for  however  disagreeable 
in  itself,  Mr.  Webster  appeared  at  our  breakfast  afterwards  with 
his  genial  humor  unimpaired. 

The  following  June  your  father  left  Portsmouth  for  a  visit, 
as  we  thought,  to  his  native  place,  without  communicating, 
previously,  a  word  of  his  intention.  He  did  not  come  back 
alone ;  and,  with  no  change  in  the  domestic  arrangements,  the 


440  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

wife  he  brought  with  him  added  the  charm  of  her  presence  to 
our  society. 

Grace  Fletcher  was  the  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Elijah  Fletcher 
of  Hopkinton,  New  Hampshire.  The  clergy  of  New  Hamp 
shire  were  at  that  time  a  class  of  superior  men.  It  was  before 
the  parishes  had  been  rent  asunder  and  divided  into  a  multitude 
of  religious  sects,  and,  together  with  the  rest  of  the  clergy  of 
New  England,  they  included  in  their  ranks,  men,  who  in 
any  age  would  have  been  marked  for  their  talents  and  learning. 
Living  as  they  did,  with  the  frugal  simplicity  characteristic  of 
the  early  days  of  New  England,  without  worldly  possessions, 
they  were  every  where  honored  as  guides  in  religious  faith,  and 
as  the  guardians  of  the  best  interests  of  society.  It  is  true  that 
the  cultivation  of  the  female  intellect  scarcely  entered  into  the 
range  of  their  duties,  yet  their  daughters  could  not  dwell,  even 
in  the  atmosphere  of  their  scanty  libraries,  or  listen  to  the  con 
versation  of  their  clerical  visitors,  without  attaining  a  certain 
mental  development ;  and  the  desire  for  improvement  was  then 
answered  by  the  best  authors  of  England,  rather  than  with  the 
miscellaneous  ephemera  of  the  circulating  library.  Mrs.  Web 
ster's  mind  was  naturally  of  a  high  order,  and  whatever  was 
the  degree  of  culture  she  received,  it  fitted  her  to  be  the  chosen 
companion  and  the  trusted  friend  of  her  gifted  husband. 

She  was  sincerely  and  deeply  religious,  and  to  this  divinely 
operating  principle  was  it  to  be  attributed  that  she  was  never 
elated,  never  thrown  off  the  balance  of  her  habitual  composure, 
by  the  singular  early  success  of  her  husband,  and  the  applause 
constantly  following  him.  I  remember  a  remark  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Parker  of  Portsmouth,  "  that  it  was  a  striking  peculiarity  of 
Mrs.  Webster  that  she  was  always  equal  to  all  occasions ;  that 
she  appeared  with  the  same  quiet  dignity  and  composed  self- 
possession  in  the  drawing-room  in  Washington,  as  in  her  own 
quiet  parlor ;"  it  was  only  when  an  unexpected  burst  of  applause 
followed  some  noble  effort  of  her  husband,  that  the  quickened 
pulse  sent  the  blood  to  her  heart,  and  the  tear  started  to  her 
eye.  Uniting  with  great  sweetness  of  disposition,  unaffected, 
frank  and  winning  manners,  you  will  readily  believe  that  no 
one  could  approach  your  mother  without  wishing  to  know  her, 
and  no  one  could  know  her  well,  without  loving  her. 

When  Mr.  Webster  had  brought  this  interesting  companion 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  441 

to  Portsmouth,  the  circle  that  gathered  around  them  became 
more  intimate  and  was  held  by  more  powerful  attractions. 
There  certainly  was  never  a  more  charming  room,  than  the  low- 
roofed,  simple  parlor,  where,  relieved  from  the  cares  of  business, 
in  the  full  gayety  of  his  disposition,  he  gave  himself  up  to  re 
laxation. 

Those  who  only  knew  Mr.  Webster  in  the  later  years  of  his 
life  can  never  believe  how  gracefully,  and  with  what  infinite 
humor  he  could  lend  himself  to  the  amusement  of  the  hour. 
There  were  other  evenings  given  to  more  serious  occupation, 
when  he  would  read  parts  of  the  plays  of  Shakspeare  to  a  circle 
of  young  friends,  or  keep  them  enchained  by  the  eloquent  charm 
of  his  own  conversation. 

The  happiness  of  these  Portsmouth  days  was  within  two 
years  increased  by  the  birth  of  a  daughter,  who  bore  her  mother's 
name.  I  can  hardly  trust  myself  to  speak  of  this  child,  so  little 
to  be  relied  on  are  the  reports  of  precocious  children.  But  as 
I  recall  some  of  the  peculiarities  of  this  little  girl,  she  certainly 
appears,  at  three  and  four  years  old,  wonderfully  intelligent,  and 
a  most  agreeable  companion.  There  was  no  one  so  much  in 
demand  as  the  little  Grace ;  her  mother's  friends  constantly 
sending  for  her,  and  delighting  themselves  with  her  sweet  sim 
plicity,  and,  if  such  an  expression  can  be  allowed,  her  infantile 
sagacity. 

Her  young  soul  seemed  to  dwell  very  near  the  author  of  her 
being.  Her  mother  once  said  to  a  friend,  "  I  wish  I  could  feel 
the  presence  of  God  as  little  Grace  seems  to  feel  it.  Not  only 
did  "  Heaven  lie  about  her  in  her  infancy,"  but  she  knew  that 
God  was  always  near  her. 

Another  peculiarity  was  the  tenderness  she  felt  for  the  poor 
and  unhappy.  Beggars  were  frequent  at  this  time.  There 
were  few  relief  societies,  and  begging  from  door  to  door  was  not 
forbidden.  Grace  would  never  consent  that  an  asker  of  charity 
should  be  sent  away  empty.  She  would  bring  them  herself 
into  the  house,  see  that  their  wants  were  supplied,  comfort  them 
with  the  ministration  of  her  own  little  hands,  and  the  tender 
compassion  of  her  large  gray  eyes.  If  her  mother  ever  refused, 
those  eyes  would  fill  with  tears,  and  she  would  urge  their  re 
quests  so  perseveringly  that  there  was  no  resisting  her. 

But  God's  hand  soon  beckoned  her  away.     Her  parents  in 


442  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

the  mean  time  had  left  Portsmouth  for  their  residence  in  Boston, 
and  Mr.  Webster  had  gone  the  second  time  from  New  Hamp 
shire  to  serve  a  session  in  Congress,  when  that  insidious 
disease,  to  which  delicate  organizations  so  often  become  a  prey, 
began  to  impair  the  health  of  the  little  Grace.  The  progress  of 
the  disease  was  so  rapid,  that  her  parents  had  only  time  to 
hasten  from  Washington  to  their  house  in  Boston,  where  their 
child,  whose  short  life  had  been  lived,  as  it  were,  on  the  thres 
hold  of  heaven,  passed  with  gentle  and  painless  steps  within 
the  veil  which  hides  from  us  the  great  mysteries  of  the  future. 
Grace  woke  from  a  sweet  sleep,  and  asked  for  her  father.  He 
was  instantly  called,  and  placing  his  arm  beneath  her,  he  drew 
her  towards  him,  when  a  smile  of  singular  love  and  sweetness 
passed  over  her  countenance  and  her  life  was  gone.  Mr.  Web 
ster  turned  away  from  the  bed,  and  great  tears  coursed  down 
his  cheeks.  I  have  three  times  seen  this  great  man  weep  con 
vulsively.  Another  time  was  when  death  deprived  him  of  that 
brother,  so  tenderly  loved,  with  whom,  as  we  learn  from  the 
autobiography,  and  from  his  own  lips,  there  was  so  close  a 
union,  that  till  both  of  them  had  families  which  drew  them 
from  each  other,  there  had  been  between  them  but  one  aim,  one 
pui\-;e,  one  welfare,  and  one  hope. 

Mr.  Webster  says  in  his  autobiography,  that  after  he  had 
finished  his  session  in  Congress  from  New  Hampshire,  he  came 
to  Boston  and  gave  himself  with  diligence  to  the  business  of 
his  profession. 

He  was  now  thirty-five  years  old,  and  certainly  in  the  perfec 
tion  of  all  the  powers  of  body  and  mind.  The  majestic  beauty 
of  his  countenance  was  never  more  striking  than  at  this  period. 
There  is  a  miniature  taken  at  this  time  which  gives  almost 
agreeable  impression  of  his  features,  but  which  those  who  knew 
him  only  in  the  later  years  of  his  life,  would  hardly  accept  as 
a  perfect  likeness.  The  noble  expansive  brow,  and  deep  set 
melancholy  eyes,  do  justice  to  those  features ;  but  the  tender, 
flexible  lips,  although  expressing  the  sweetness  of  his  character 
at  that  period  of  his  life,  have  not  the  expression  of  intense 
firmness,  which  afterwards  gave  such  character  to  his  coun 
tenance. 

As  I  had  the  privilege  of  being  often  a  visitor  in  his  family,  a 
recapitulation  of  the  course  of  his  every  day  life  may  be  more 
interesting  to  you  than  any  thing  else. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  443 

Mr.  Webster  was  always  an  early  riser.  There  is  an  eloquent 
letter  which  expresses  his  true  feeling  upon  the  influence  of  the 
morning  hours.  Like  most  of  the  great  and  good  men  we  read 
of,  the  hours  of  the  early  morning  were  the  most  cheerful  of  the 
day.  The  drowsy  in  his  own  house  were  awoke  by  his  joyous 
voice  singing  some  cheerful  carol,  such  as, 

"  The  east  is  bright  with  morning  light." 
"  Uprose  the  king  of  men  with  speed,"  &c. 

At  breakfast,  before  the  cares  of  business  began,  he  was 
cheerful  but  thoughtful,  courteous  and  genial  towards  every  one ; 
listening  to  the  prattle  of  the  children,  and  kindly  attentive  to 
all  their  little  requests.  When  he  returned,  at  two  or  three 
o'clock,  weary  from  the  courts,  or  from  his  office,  the  promptly 
ready  service  of  Hannah,  a  woman  who  had  been  in  his  family 
many  years,  was  always  welcome.  She  knew  the  sound  of  the 
door  when  opened  by  Mr.  Webster,  and  it  was  scarcely  closed 
before  she  was  at  his  side.  He  was  dependent  upon  services 
prompted  by  affection,  and  loved  those  spontaneous  offerings 
which  came  from  the  heart. 

After  dinner,  Mr.  Webster  would  throw  himself  upon  the  sofa, 
and  then  was  seen  the  truly  electrical  attraction  of  his  character. 
Every  person  in  the  room  was  drawn  immediately  into  his 
sphere.  The  children  squeezing  themselves  into  all  possible 
places  and  postures  upon  the  sofa,  in  order  to  be  close  to  him ; 
Mrs.  Webster  sitting  by  his  side,  and  the  friend  in  the  house,  or 
social  visitor,  only  too  happy  to  join  in  the  circle.  Ah1  this 
was  not  from  invitation  to  the  children;  he  did  nothing  to 
amuse  them,  he  told  them  no  stories;  it  was  the  irresistible 
attraction  of  his  character,  the  charm  of  his  illumined  coun 
tenance,  from  which  beamed  indulgence  and  kindness  to  every 
one  of  his  family.  In  the  evening,  if  visitors  came  in,  Mr. 
Webster  was  too  much  exhausted  to  take  a  very  active  part  in 
conversation.  He  had  done  a  large  amount  of  work  before 
others  were  awake  in  the  morning,  and  in  the  evening  he  was 
ready  for  that  sweet  sleep  which  "  God  gives  to  his  beloved." 

At  the  period  I  now  speak  of,  the  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Webster  were  four.  The  youngest,  Charles,  was  taken  from 


444  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

them  in  the  winter  of  1825.  This  lovely  child,  at  three  years 
old,  indicated  singular  attractiveness  of  mind  and  character. 
His  illness  was  short,  and  had  hardly  impaired  the  fresh  beauty 
of  his  countenance ;  but  shortly  after  his  death,  when  the  round 
contour  of  the  cheeks  had  a  little  fallen  away,  his  face  and 
head  were  like  a  perfect  miniature  caet  of  his  father.  No 
marble  bust  can  ever  present  a  more  perfect  likeness  of  his 
noble  father. 

Mrs.  Webster  was  the  most  tender  of  mothers.  Many  per 
sons  thought,  that  devoted  as  she  was  to  her  husband  and 
children,  the  whole  tenderness  of  her  nature  was  absorbed  by 
her  home  and  its  exacting  duties.  It  was  not  so.  She  had 
much  to  give  to  many.  She  loved  to  collect  around  her  a  small 
number  of  intimate  friends,  when,  without  form,  or  etiquette, 
they  could  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  each  other's  society.  Mr. 
Webster  never  appeared  so  truly  charming  as  when  thus  the 
centre  of  a  circle  of  intimate  and  trusted  friends. 

I  would  fain  linger  a  little  longer  upon  the  memory  of  your 
mother,  and  upon  those  bright  and  happy  years  before  the 
clouds  gathered,  and  that  fatal  disease  began  to  show  itself, 
which  made  all  those  who  loved  her  tremble. 

But  while  they  trembled  she  was  firm,  and  those  lessons  of 
faith  and  submission,  which  in  her  days  of  joy  she  had  learned 
with  Christian  docility,  were  now  to  be  tried  and  tested,  and 
they  did  not  fail.  She  had  determined  to  go  with  her  husband 
in  the  winter  of  1828  to  Washington,  but  her  disease  made 
such  fearful  progress,  that  she  was  arrested  in  New  York; 
where  in  the  midst  of  devoted  friends,  with  husband  and 
children  around  her,  she  passed  beyond  the  reach  of  our 
affection,  but  forever  followed  by  tender  regrets  and  blessed 
memories. 

E.  BUCKMINSTER  LEE. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  445 


MR.    JUSTICE    STORY    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  January  27,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  received  in  the  course  of  the  mail  your 
letter  announcing  the  melancholy  news  of  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Webster.  It  has  sunk  Mrs.  Story  and  myself  in  deep  affliction. 
And  prepared  as  we  were  for  the  heavy  intelligence,  it  yet 
came,  at  last,  with  a  most  distressing  power  over  our  minds. 
We  do,  indeed,  most  sincerely  and  entirely  from  our  whole 
iiearts  sympathize  with  you,  and  partake  largely  of  your 
sorrows.  We  have  long  considered  Mrs.  Webster  one  of  our 
best  and  truest  friends,  and.  indeed,  as  standing  to  us  almost  in 
the  relation  of  a  sister.  We  have  known  her  excellent  qualities, 
her  kindness  of  heart,  her  generous  feelings,  her  mild  and  con 
ciliatory  temper,  her  warm  and  elevated  affections,  her  con 
stancy,  purity,  and  piety,  and  her  noble  disinterestedness,  and 
excellent  sense.  Such  a  woman,  and  such  a  friend,  must  be  at 
all  times  a  most  severe  loss,  and  to  us,  at  our  age,  is  irreparable; 
we  can  scarcely  hope  to  form  many  new  friendships,  and  our 
hope,  our  dearest  hope,  was  to  retain  what  we  had.  We  have 
so  hoped  in  vain.  I  can  say  with  Young,  in  deep  humiliation 
of  soul, 

"  Our  dying  friends  come  o'er  us  like  a  cloud, 

To  damp  our  brainless  ardor,  and  abate 

That  glare  of  life,  which  sometimes  blinds  the  wise." 

Of  the  loss  to  you,  I  can  and  ought  to  say  nothing.  I  know 
that  if  we  suffer,  your  sorrows  must  be  unspeakable.  And  I 
can  only  pray  God  to  aid  you  by  His  consolations  and  to  sug 
gest  to  you,  that,  after  your  first  agony  is  over,  her  virtues  and 
your  own  admirable  devotion  to  her  cannot  but  be  sources  of 
the  most  soothing  recollection  to  you.  I  know  well  that  we 
may  do  mischief  by  intermeddling  with  a  heart  wounded  by 
grief ;  and  it  must  be  left  to  itself  to  recover  its  powers,  and  to 
soften  its  anguish.  What  some  of  us  think  of  the  dead,  you 
rnay  read  in  the  National  Intelligencer  of  Saturday. 

In  going  to  Boston,  and  attending  the  funeral  obsequies,  I 
entirely  agree  with  your  own  judgment.  I  should  have  done 
the  same  under  the  like  circumstances,  as  most  appropriate  to 
VOL.  i.  38 


446  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

my  own  feelings  and  to  public  propriety.     We  have  in  spirit 
followed  your  wife  to  the  grave  with  you. 

I  do  not  urge  your  immediate  return  here.  But  yet,  having 
been  a  like  sufferer,  I  can  say,  that  the  great  secret  of  comfort 
must  be  sought,  so  far  as  human  aid  can  go,  in  employment. 
It  requires  effort  and  sacrifices,  but  it  is  the  only  specific  remedy 
against  unavailing  and  wasting  sorrow;  that  canker  which  eats 
into  the  heart,  and  destroys  its  vitality.  If  you  will  therefore 
allow  me  to  advise,  it  would  be  that  you  should  return  here  as 
soon  as  you  can  gather  up  your  strength,  and  try  professional 
and  public  labors.  Endeavor  to  wear  off  that  spirit  of  despon 
dency  which  you  cannot  but  feel,  and  which  you  will  scarcely 
feel  any  inclination  to  resist  Saying  this,  I  have  said  all  that 
I  ought,  and  I  know  that  you  can  understand  what  is  best, 
better  than  I  can  prescribe. 

Mrs.  Story  desires  her  most  affectionate  regards  to  you  and 
the  children,  and  I  join  in  them,  being  always  affectionately, 

Your  friend, 

JOSEPH  STORY. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    DR.    PERKINS. 

Boston,  Monday,  January  28,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — You  have  learned  by  Mr.  Paige's  letter,  that 
we  reached  Boston  on  Friday  evening,  and  on  Saturday  com 
mitted  Mrs.  Webster's  remains  to  the  tomb.  We  used  the  oc 
casion  to  bring  into  our  own  tomb  the  coffin  containing  the 
remains  of  our  daughter  Grace,  who  died  January  23,  1817. 
My  dear  wife  now  lies  with  her  oldest  and  her  youngest ;  and  I 
hope  it  may  please  God,  when  my  own  appointed  hour  comes, 
that  I  may  rest  by  her  side. 

Mrs.  Bryant  came  immediately  to  see  me  and  the  children, 
and  manifests  the  kindest  sympathy  in  the  calamity  which  has 
befallen  us.  She  is  an  excellent  woman,  and  one  whom  Mrs. 
Webster  very  much  regarded  and  loved.  All  our  friends  have 
received  us  with  a  sincerity  of  condolence  and  sympathy  which 
we  can  never  forget.  The  children  are  well.  Daniel  will  resume 
his  usual  residence  and  occupation  in  a  day  or  two.  Mrs.  Lee, 
(Eliza  Buckminster,)  Mrs.  Ticknor,  Mrs.  Hall,  Mrs.  Appleton, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  447 

and  others,  have  offered,  in  the  most  friendly  manner,  to  take 
care  of  Julia  and  Edward,  for  the  \vinter.  We  have  not  yet 
decided  how  we  shall  dispose  of  them.  . 

I  pray  you  to  give  my  most  affectionate  regards  to  Mrs.  Per 
kins.  I  never  can  express  how  much  I  feel  indebted  to  her 
kindness  and  friendship.  If  Mrs.  Webster  had  been  her  sister, 
she  could  have  done  no  more. 

In  a  few  days,  I  intend  to  set  out  for  Washington.  If  there 
should  come  a  flight  of  snow,  so  as  to  make  sleighing,  I  shall 
immediately  improve  the  occasion  to  get  over  the  hills  to  New 
Haven.  I  am,  dear  Sir,  most  truly, 

Yours,  always, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  January  29,  182-!. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  thank  you  for  your  kind  letter  of  yesterday. 
It  would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  see  you,  but  I  do  not  expect 
you  to  make  a  journey  hither,  at  this  season.  I  know  also  that 
your  engagements  must  be  pressing.  I  am  at  present  at  Mr. 
Blake's,  with  the  children.  My  brother  came  down  yesterday. 
It  is  my  purpose  to  stay  till  towards  the  end  of  this  week,  or  to 
the  first  of  next,  according  to  the  weather,  and  then  proceed 
South.  My  own  health  is  pretty  good,  although  I  feel  in  some 
measure  fatigued  and  exhausted.  I  shall  travel  slowly,  and 
must  necessarily  stay  two  or  three  days  in  New  York. 

As  to  my  children,  I  think  I  shall  dispose  of  them  in  this 
town  for  the  present,  without  inconvenience.  Daniel  is  per 
fectly  well  disposed  of  where  he  is.  Mrs.  Lee  (Eliza  B.)  lays 
claim  to  Julia,  of  right,  and  would  be  glad  of  Edward ;  also,  Mrs. 
Ticknor,  Mrs.  Hale,  Mrs.  Appleton,  and  others,  have  kindly 
offered  to  take  them.  I  feel  a  reluctance  to  separate  these  two 
little  ones,  but  still  incline  to  think  the  best  thing  will  be  to  let 
Julia  go  to  Mrs.  Lee's,  and  turn  Edward,  for  the  winter,  into 
Mrs.  Hale's  little  flock. 

As  far  as  I  have  thought  at  all  on  my  future  arrangements, 


448  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

my  inclination  is  to  make  no  more  change  in  my  course  and 
mode  of  life  than  the  event  necessarily  produces. 

I  think  I  shall  leave  orders  to  have  the  furniture  put  up,  in 
the  house,  with  a  view  of  taking  home  the  children  when  I  re 
turn,  and,  with  the  aid  of  Mr.  Paige,  keeping  the  family  together. 
Except,  perhaps,  that  it  may  be  best  that  Julia  should  stay 
principally  with  Eliza,  or  in  some  other  family,  where  there  is  a 
lady.  Very  probably  both  the  little  children  may  pass  the  sum 
mer  at  their  uncle's. 

I  pray  you  give  my  most  affectionate  remembrance  to  Mrs. 
Mason.  Mrs.  Webster  spoke  of  her  often,  and  always  with  the 
strongest  sentiments  of  esteem  and  affection.  Her  last  letter 
was  received,  I  think,  before  Mrs.  Webster's  death ;  but  when 
she  was  not  in  a  condition  to  read  it,  or  hear  it. 

In  regard  to  this  calamity,  my  dear  Sir,  I  feel  that  every  thing 
has  conspired  to  alleviate,  as  far  as  possible,  the  effects  of  the 
calamity  itself.  All  was  done  that  could  be  done ;  the  kindness 
of  friends  had  no  bounds ;  and  it  is  now  continued,  also,  towards 
me  and  the  children.  The  manner  of  the  death  too,  was,  in  all 
respects,  such  as  her  dearest  friends  would  have  wished. 
Adieu,  my  dear  Sir, 

Yours,  always  truly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    FLETCHER    WEBSTER. 

Senate  Chamber,  Tuesday,  February  17,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  SON, — I  have  received  a  letter  from  you  to-day,  be 
fore  I  have  found  time  to  answer  your  last.  That  gave  me 
singular  pleasure,  as  it  contained  a  very  gratifying  report  from 
Mr.  Leverett.  I  have  nothing  more  at  heart,  my  dear  son,  than 
your  success  and  welfare,  and  the  cultivation  of  your  talents 
and  virtues.  You  will  be,  in  the  common  course  of  things, 
coming  into  active  life,  when,  if  I  live  so  long,  I  shall  be  already 
an  old  man,  and  shall  have  little  left  in  life  but  my  children,  and 
their  hopes  and  happiness.  In  contemplation  of  these  things,  I 
look  with  the  most  affectionate  anxiety  upon  your  progress,  con- 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  449 

sidering  the  present  as  a  most  critical  and  important  period  in 
your  life. 

Such  reports  as  that  last  received,  give  me  good  spirits  ;  and 
I  doubt  not,  my  dear  son,  that  the  consciousness  that  your  good 
conduct  and  respectable  progress  in  your  class,  and  among  your 
fellows,  gives  me  pleasure,  will  stimulate  your  affectionate  heart, 
with  other  motives,  to  earnest  and  assiduous  endeavors  to  ex 
cel.  I  pray  Heaven  to  bless  you  and  prosper  you. 

At  present  my  time  is  exceedingly  occupied  between  the 
Senate  and  the  court,  and  I  suppose  it  will  continue  so  to  be, 
till  the  3d  of  March.  It  is  very  cold  here ;  much  the  severest 
winter  I  ever  experienced  at  Washington. 

Yours,  most  affectionately, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    HADDOCK    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Dartmouth  College,  March  12,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  UNCLE, — My  last  interview  with  you  was  a  painful 
one,  more  painful  than  I  can  express.  But  I  did  not  feel  at 
liberty  to  revive  in  your  mind  ideas  and  feelings  which  had 
already  but  too  much  oppressed  you.  In  your  loss  I  suffered 
deeply  ;  in  all  your  sorrows  I  was  afflicted.  To  that  dear  aunt 
I  had  long  cherished  a  fond  attachment.  Her  sickness  I  did  not 
suppose  so  severe,  or  so  dangerous  as  it  really  was,  until  just  before 
the  intelligence  of  her  death  arrived.  I  received  it  at  Concord. 
It  was  too  late  for  me  to  reach  Boston,  before  the  funeral  solem 
nities.  It  would  have  been  grateful  to  my  feelings  to  have 
joined  in  the  sacred  duty  to  one  so  dear  to  me,  and  of  whose 
kind  regard  I  had  received  so  many  demonstrations.  How  pleas 
ant,  how  inexpressibly  precious,  in  the  seasons  of  reflection  upon 
this  event,  is  the  conviction,  which  we  cherish,  that  she  is  as 
the  "  angels  of  God  which  are  in  heaven."  It  takes  away  the 
keenest  sting  of  affliction.  It  may  be  unjust  to  the  society  of 
the  Saviour,  and  the  communion  with  God,  in  which  the  sacred 
writers  place  so  much  of  the  happiness  of  heaven,  but  I  cannot 
resist  the  feeling  excited  anew  by  every  victory  of  death  among 
38* 


450  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

my  Christian  friends,  that  we  shall  derive  no  inconsiderable  part 
of  our  eternal  happiness  from  the  renewal  of  earthly  friendships. 
I  know  not  why  this  feeling  should  strengthen  as  I  grow  older, 
unless  it  may  possibly  be,  that  the  heart  feels  more  sensibly  its 
dependence  upon  the  few  whom  nature,  or  youthful  love,  has 
bound  to  us,  as  death  rapidly  narrows  the  little  circle.  It  may 
seem  misanthropic,  I  know  not  that  it  is  common  or  just,  but, 
though  not  greatly  disappointed,  indeed,  on  the  whole,  remark 
ably  favored  by  the  approbation  of  those  whose  approbation  I 
have  sought,  I  have  a  horror  of  depending  for  my  social  happiness 
on  persons  to  whom  I  have  felt  no  natural  ties,  and  with  whom 
I  have  formed  no  early  habits  of  affection.  So  that  I  feel,  when 
a  friend  dies,  that  another  hold  on  life  is  broken,  another  reason 
for  wishing  to  live,  removed.  Could  I  feel,  in  my  own  heart,  in 
the  same  proportion,  prepared  to  meet  death,  and  the  momentous 
scenes  after  it,  it  would  give  me  the  truest  joy.  I  hope,  dear 
uncle,  that  on  this  subject  you  have  obtained  a  state  of  mind, 
for  which  I  look,  but  which  I  have  imperfectly,  if  at  all,  enjoyed. 
I  am  satisfied  from  the  cases  of  Job,  Joshua,  Stephen,  Paul,  and 
others,  and  from  the  strong  language  of  the  New  Testament, 
that  there  must  be  a  strong  Christian  faith  and  confidence  attain 
able.  It  is  worthy  of  the  heart's  desire  and  prayer. 

With  sentiments  of  the  highest  respect  and  affection,  I  am, 
dear  uncle,  Your  nephew, 

CHARLES  B.  HADDOCK. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

Washington,  Sunday  Evening,  1828. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — I  found  divers  letters  of  yours  here  yester 
day,  and  have  another  to-day ;  for  all  which  I  thank  you.  A 
line  from  you,  as  often  as  you  can  write  one,  will  always  give 
me  pleasure  and  satisfaction.  I  sometimes  feel  as  if  I  were 
troubling  you  too  much,  with  so  much  care  of  the  children,  and 
so  much  attention  to  my  concerns.  But  I  trust  you  will  not 
suffer  me  to  wear  out  your  patience  and  kindness.  Notwith 
standing  the  blessed  spirit  that  has  so  long  been  the  common 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  451 

bond  of  union  between  us,  is  now  on  earth  no  more,  you  will 
ever  be  to  me  one  of  the  nearest  and  dearest  objects  in  life ; 
nearer  and  dearer,  indeed,  from  this  very  calamity.  Enough ! 

I  find  Judge  Story  and  his  wife  very  well.  Mrs.  Story  has 
had  the  company  of  Mrs.  Laurence,  and  has  not  been  therefore 
lonely.  But,  alas !  it  is  not  such  a  winter  as  she  promised  her 
self.  I  have  not  been  out  of  the  house  to-day.  A  great  many 
people  have  been  to  see  me.  To-morrow,  I  shall  probably  go 
into  court.  Yours,  dear  William, 

Most  faithfully, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

Wednesday  Evening,  Washington,  1828. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — I  have  received  to-day  your  letter  of  Satur 
day,  which  makes  me  feel  a  good  deal  better.  I  have  seldom 
been  five  days  before  without  hearing  from  home ;  and  although 
I  have  lost  what  mainly  made  home  dear  to  me,  there  is  yet 
that  in  it  which  I  love  more  than  all  things  else  in  the  world.  I 
could  not  get  along  without  cherishing  the  feeling  that  I  have 
a  home  notwithstanding  the  shock  I  have  received.  You  must 
try  to  make  the  children  write,  when  you  cannot,  so  that  I  may 
hear  from  some  of  you ;  one  every  two  or  three  days  at  least. 

This  morning  was  devoted  to  General  Brown's  funeral ;  and 
I  went  into  court  at  one  o'clock.  For  some  days  to  come, 
indeed,  as  long  as  the  court  continues,  I  expect  no  leisure.  Time 
has  been  when  I  should  not  have  cared  much  about  it ;  and  as 
it  is,  I  shall  get  through  somehow  or  other.  Mr.  Belknap  will 
not  be  tried  probably  till  next  week. 

The  arrangement  you  suggested  some  time  ago,  as  to  the 
children's  all  dining  with  you  on  Sunday,  and  occasionally  with 
our  other  friends,  pleases  me  very  well.  I  hope  they  are  happy. 
Edward,  I  am  sure,  is  as  well  off  as  he  can  be,  and  since  you 
cannot  spare  him,  I  am  content  he  should  remain  where  he  is. 

Riley's  trunk  is  here.  I  shall  send  it  the  very  first  opportunity. 
He  will  receive  it,  I  trust,  in  a  week  or  two.  I  am  sorry  to  hear 
Mary  is  sick,  and  hope  her  illness  will  not  be  of  long  duration. 


452  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Remember  me  kindly  to  Mr.  Blake.     I  would  write  him  if  I 
had  time  to-night,  but  must  put  it  off  for  a  day  or  two. 

Give  my  love  to  all  the  children.     I  wish  I  had  one  of  them 
here. 

Good-night.  D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    B.    B.    LEE. 

Washington,  March  15,  1828. 

DEAR  ELIZA, — I  return  you  Mr.  Parker's  letter,  which  I  have 
read,  as  you  may  well  suppose,  with  great  pleasure.  Nothing 
is  more  soothing  and  balmy  to  my  feelings,  than  to  dwell  on  the 
recollection  of  my  dear  wife,  and  to  hear  others  speak  of  her, 
who  knew  her  and  loved  her.  My  heart  holds  on  by  this  thread, 
as  if  it  were  by  means  of  it  to  retain  her  yet  here.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Parker  were  always  kind  to  us,  and  are  among  those 
Portsmouth  friends  whom  time  and  distance  never  separated 
from  our  acquaintance  and  affection.  Mrs.  Webster  had  very 
high  esteem  for  them  both. 

I  hear  from  Mr.  Paige,  and  from  Julia,  and  from  Edward,  that 
you  are  well.  Julia  has  told  me  all  about  your  party,  and  how 
long  she  sat  up.  I  hear  from  others,  as  well  as  herself,  that  she 
is  happy  as  possible  under  the  protection  of  your  care  and  kind 
ness.  You  will  love  her,  I  know,  for  her  mother's  sake,  and  I 
hope  for  her  own  also ;  and  I  trust  she  will  make  herself  agree 
able  to  your  husband.  You  are  kind  enough  to  say,  that 
concern  for  Julia  need  not  lead  me  to  forbear  any  purpose 
which  I  might  otherwise  have,  of  crossing  the  water.  It  would 
be  unpleasant,  certainly,  to  leave  the  children,  and  especially  a 
little  girl  of  Julia's  age,  but  I  should  not  feel  uneasy  about  her 
at  all,  while  under  your  guardianship.  There  are  other  con 
siderations,  however,  which  are  well  to  be  weighed  before  I  am 
water-borne.  Even  if  what  you  allude  to  were  supposed  to  be 
at  my  own  option,  and  however  desirable  it  might  be  in  itself, 
times  and  circumstances  may  nevertheless  be  such  as  "  give  me 
pause."  This  is  all  I  can  say  about  it  at  present ;  except  that 
I  am  now  too  old  to  do  any  thing  in  a  hurry.  I  believe  this  is 
almost  the  only  time  that  I  have  alluded  to  the  subject,  to  any 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  453 

one ;  and  would  not  wish  to  be  quoted  as  having  said  one  word 
respecting  it. 

Mrs.  Story  left  us  the  day  before  yesterday.  The  Judge  goes 
in  a  day  or  two.  I  shall  be  sorry  to  lose  him,  though  quite 
willing  to  have  the  court  break  up. 

I  have  a  very  kind  letter  indeed  from  Mrs.  Everett,  respecting 
the  name  of  her  youngest  daughter ;  I  wish  uncle  would  carry 
Julia  out  to  see  her. 

Is  your  husband  a  document  reader?  I  should  be  glad  to 
send  him  some  of  our  papers,  speeches,  &c.,  but  have  been 
afraid  he  would  vote  it  a  bore.  Pray  give  my  love  to  him,  and 
believe  me,  as 

Ever  yours,  DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  March  20.  1828. 

DEAR  BROTHER, — I  wrote  you  yesterday.  The  object  of  this 
is  more  private  and  personal.  I  want  you  to  tell  me  what  you 
think  best  for  the  administration,  and  for  me  in  relation  to  a 
subject  upon  which  the  newspapers  continue  to  be  loquacious.1 
Give  your  advice  without  favor  or  affection,  and  as  a  man 
who  is  "  looking  before  and  after." 

Yours,  as  always, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    HADDOCK. 

Washington,  March  21,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  NEPHEW, — I  thank  you  for  your  kind  and  affec 
tionate  letter,  and  assure  you  its  suggestions  are  all  in  strict 
accordance  with  my  own  feelings.  It  does  not  appear  to  me 
unreasonable  to  believe  that  the  friendships  of  this  life  are  per 
petuated  in  heaven.  Flesh  and  blood,  indeed,  cannot  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God ;  but  I  know  not  why  that  which  consti 
tutes  a  pure  source  of  happiness  on  earth,  individual  affection 
and  love,  may  not  survive  the  tomb.  Indeed,  is  not  the  prin- 

1  A  report  that  Mr.  Webster  was  to  be  sent  minister  to  England. 


454  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

ciple  of  happiness  to  the  sentient  being  essentially  the  same  in 
heaven  and  on  earth  ?  The  love  of  God  and  of  the  good  beings 
whom  he  has  created,  and  the  admiration  of  the  material 
universe  which  he  has  formed,  can  there  be  other  sources  of 
happiness  than  these  to  the  human  mind,  unless  it  is  to  alter 
its  whole  structure  ?.nd  character  ?  And  again,  it  may  be  asked 
how  can  this  world  be  rightly  called  a  scene  of  probation  and 
discipline,  if  these  affections,  which  we  are  commanded  to 
cherish  and  cultivate  here,  are  to  leave  us  on  the  threshold  of 
the  other  world  ?  These  views  and  many  others,  would  seem 
to  lead  to  the  belief  that  earthly  affections,  purified  and  exalted, 
are  fit  to  carry  with  us  to  the  abode  of  the  blessed.  Yet  it  must 
be  confessed,  that  there  are  some  things  in  the  New  Testament 
which  may  possibly  countenance  a  different  conclusion.  The 
words  of  our  Saviour,  especially  in  regard  to  the  woman  who 
had  seven  husbands,  deserve  deep  reflection.  I  am  free  to  con 
fess  that  some  descriptions  of  heavenly  happiness  are  so  ethereal 
and  sublimated  as  to  fill  me  with  a  strange  sort  of  terror.  Even 
that  which  you  quote,  that  our  departed  friends  "  are  as  the 
angels  of  God,"  penetrates  my  soul  with  a  dreadful  emotion. 
Like  an  angel  of  God,  indeed,  I  hope  she  is,  in  purity,  in  happi 
ness,  and  in  immortality ;  but  I  would  fain  hope,  that  in  kind 
remembrance  of  those  she  has  left ;  in  a  lingering  human  sym 
pathy  and  human  love,  she  may  yet  be  as  God  originally 
created  her,  a  little  lower  than  the  angels. 

My  dear  nephew,  I  cannot  pursue  these  thoughts   nor  turn 
back  to  see  what  I  have  written. 

Adieu,  D.  W. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  TO  EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 

Washington,  March  23,  1828. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  have  received  yours  of  the  17th,  and  am 
glad  you  propose  to  write  Governor  Bell.  If  you  have  not 
already  done  so  when  you  receive  this,  lose  no  time  in  accom 
plishing  your  purpose. 

I  cannot  listen  for  a  moment  to  what  you  say  about  not  being 
a  candidate.  I  never  shall  consent  to  your  declining,  if  you  have 
a  fair  opportunity.  Be  assured  it  will  do  you  much  good  to  be 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  455 

here  a  year  or  two,  and  you  will  lose  nothing  by  it.  I  beg  of 
you  by  no  means  to  come  to  a  different  conclusion,  at  least  till 
I  come  home. 

The  New  Hampshire  election  has  produced  vastly  more  im 
pression  here  than  I  had  expected  from  it.  It  seems  quite 
certain  that  a  pretty  strong  confidence  of  success  was  enter 
tained  by  General  Jackson's  friends.  I  was  told  to-day  that  Mr. 
Harvey,  shortly  since,  expressed  the  strongest  belief  that  New 
Hampshire  would  go  for  the  military  candidate. 

I  send  you  to-day  a  militia  document.  The  preface  and 
notes,  &c.,  are  understood  to  have  been  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Storrs, 
though  I  suppose  if  this  be  so,  it  it  intended  to  be  kept  private. 
I  think  you  will  find  it  a  thing  to  make  the  people  think ;  I 
shall  send  you  several  copies. 

We  need  much  a  list  of  names,  in  Mr.  Harvey's  district,  of 
intelligent  people,  to  whom  this  and  other  documents  can  be 
sent.  Who  is  there  in  Warren,  Button,  Fisherville,  Hancock, 
Henniker,  &c.  &c.,  to  whom  the  New  Hampshire  members 
might  send  something  calculated  to  enlighten  the  people  and 
to  give  them  the  truth  ?  I  really  feel  it  a  duty  to  give  the 
people  light,  in  regard  to  the  present  state  of  public  affairs. 

We  have  every  reason  to  think  the  tide  has  turned  in  New 
York,  and  is  setting  the  other  way  with  prodigious  force.  Some 
thing  of  the  same  nature  is  visible  in  Kentucky.  Depend  upon 
it,  with  proper  exertions,  we  may  yet  save  the  country. 

Yours,  always  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     I  am  anxious  for  your  answer  to  my  last. 


BZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

March  31,  1828. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — I  have  written  Governor  Bell  to-day.  I  have 
stated  to  him  my  opinion  of  our  present  condition.  It  is  the 
best  opinion  I  can  form.  I  suggested  to  him  both  the  import 
ance  and  necessity  that  our  representatives  in  Congress  should 
make  an  address  to  the  people  of  this  State  under  their  own 


456  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

signatures.  They  should  speak  out.  Something  of  this  kind 
is  certainly  needed.  It  should  be  published  in  a  pamphlet  form 
of  thirty  thousand  copies  at  least.  The  people  want  informa 
tion,  light,  knowledge  of  the  character  and  measures  of  the 
admin  istration. 

I  may  say  to  you  what  I  may  to  no  per«on  here,  we  cannot 
carry  the  election  next  November  without  the  greatest  exertions. 
Bold  and  manly  measures  only  can  defeat  the  Jackson  party  in 
this  State.  It  is  necessary  that  every  man  should  put  into  the 
support  of  the  good  cause  all  his  talents,  all  his  personal  char 
acter,  personal  influence,  and  exertions.  The  contest  must  be 
made  to  resemble  the  ancient  battle,  where  every  man  grapples 
with  his  adversary.  The  crisis  is  extraordinary.  The  contest 
is  extraordinary.  Both  the  crisis  and  the  contest  call  for  extra 
ordinary  efforts.  Let  our  representatives  give  us  the  example; 
let  them  make  an  appeal  to  the  good  sense  of  the  people  and 
warn  us  of  our  dangers.  Let  them  lead,  and  there  will  be  enough 
to  follow.  The  public  sentiment,  enlightened  and  informed  by 
the  address  itself,  will  support  them,  and  carry  them  and  the 
State  triumphantly  through  the  contest. 

The  present  delusion  is  astonishing ;  no  man  who  does  not 
witness  it,  can  believe  it. 

Mr.  Healey  can  do  more  in  those  towns  you  mention,  than 
any  other  man.  He  should  have  documents  plentifully.  He 
knows  to  whom  it  would  be  useful  to  send,  better  than  any 
other  person. 

I  have  received  the  militia  document.  I  think  an  edition  of 
it  will  be  printed  in  this  State. 

Yours  always, 

E.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER   TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  April  4,  1828. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  send  you  Mr.  Davis's  tariff  speech,  and  shall 
send  you  others.  Having  some  numbers  of  an  English  news 
paper  published  in  Paris,  for  the  benefit,  I  presume,  of  English 
residents  there,  I  enclose  them  to  you,  as  you  will  find  in  them 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  457 

full  accounts  of  the  late  ministerial  changes  in  England,  Mr. 
Brougham's  speech  on  the  laws,  &e.,  &c. 

I  believe  what  you  advise  in  relation  to  a  certain  question 
is  right,  and  I  presume  the  matter  will  have  that  termination. 

I  have  had  a  good  deal  of  conversation  here  about  the  Hamp 
shire  matters,  with  certain  friends.  I  think  a  good  disposition 
prevails,  and  that  a  satisfactory  arrangement  in  regard  to  future 
proceedings  may  be  made  in  June.  But  you  will  find  it  indis 
pensable  to  this  arrangement,  that  you  be  a  candidate  for  a  seat 
here.  To  that  there  will  be  no  objection,  I  imagine,  but  on  the 
contrary,  a  hearty  assent.  Other  propositions  would  or  might 
create  difficulty.  For  one  I  shall  never  agree  to  let  you  off. 

It  is  quite  uncertain  whether  any  tariff  bill  will  pass.  Nothing 
new  has  developed  itself  for  a  week  in  regard  to  the  subject. 

Yours  always,  D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    E.    B.    LEE. 

Washington,  May  18,  1828,  Sunday  Evening. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — Your  very  kind  letter  of  the  12th  was  re 
ceived  to-day.  I  cannot  sufficiently  thank  you  for  your  good 
ness  and  affection  towards  Julia.  Certainly  you  come  nearer 
to  supplying  her  loss  than  anybody  else.  I  believe  she  loves 
you  best  of  any ;  and  it  is  my  wish,  my  dear  friend,  that  you 
should  make  her  as  much  your  own  as  your  feelings  prompt 
you  to  do.  She  cannot  be  better  than  with  you,  and  I  incline 
to  leave  it  very  much  to  your  choice,  how  much  she  shall  be 
with  you,  and  when  it  is  best  for  her  to  be  elsewhere.  You 
have  a  right  to  her,  if  you  choose  to  have,  which  nobody  else 
will  ever  divide.  You  have  been  among  our  dearest  friends 
from  the  day  of  our  marriage,  and,  as  Julia  is  left  motherless,  I 
know  not  what  to  do  for  her  so  well  as  to  leave  her  with  you, 
whenever  it  is  agreeable  to  you  to  have  her  with  you.  If  you 
think  her  education  would  not  suffer,  I  should  be  quite  willing 
she  should  be  with  you  most  of  the  summer ;  though  I  hope  to 
have  her  with  me  some  of  the  time. 

I  thank  you,  my  dear  friend,  for  all  your  kind  remembrance 
and  good  wishes.  Your  regard  and  friendship  are  among  the 
VOL.  i.  39 


458  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

objects  which  make  me  willing  to  live  longer,  and  which  I 
shall  never  cease  to  value  while  I  do  live.  You  say  Mr.  Sulli 
van  thought  me  depressed.  It  is  true.  I  fear  I  grow  more  and 
more  so.  I  feel  a  vacuum,  an  indifference,  a  want  of  motive, 
which  I  cannot  well  describe. 

I  hope  my  children,  and  the  society  of  my  best  friends,  may 
rouse  me  ;  but  I  can  never  see  such  days  as  I  have  seen.  Yet 
I  would  not  repine  ;  I  have  enjoyed  much,  very  much ;  and  if  I 
were  to  die  to-night,  I  should  bless  God  most  fervently  that  I 
had  lived. 

Adieu,  my  dear  friend ;  I  hope  to  be  in  better  spirits  when  I 
see  you. 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  June  19,  1828. 

MY  DEAR  EZEKIEL, — I  hardly  know  what  to  say,  in  reply  to 
yours,  about  going  to  Boscawen.  I  had  firmly  resolved  to  go 
up  last  Saturday  with  Mr.  Paige,  Julia,  and  Edward,  but  was 
persuaded  to  give  it  up,  and  to  stay  and  argue  a  cause  here  in 
the  Supreme  Court,  on  Tuesday  last.  For  the  rest  of  this  week 
I  have  nothing  to  do ;  but  by  the  middle  of  next  week  shall  be 
obliged  to  go  to  Nantucket,  as  I  expect.  That  is  the  only  pro 
fessional  engagement  which  I  expect  for  the  summer.  It  will 
occupy  me  sometime,  and  perhaps  I  cannot  calculate  on  being 
back  till  the  10th  of  July.  I  should  be  glad  to  have  the  children, 
especially  Edward,  pass  some  time  with  you,  during  the  hot 
weather.  Julia  will  be  very  well  for  some  time  at  Mrs.  Lee's,  at 
Brookline.  We  are  now  in  our  own  house,  and  comfortably 
situated. 

I  wish  to  make  a  little  journey  on  to  Connecticut  River  this 
season.  If  you  would  join  me,  I  would  go  to  Cabot,  if  Uncle 
Ben.  should  be  living.  I  could  be  at  your  house  July  15, 
go  to  Cabot,  return  to  Hanover,  and  proceed  further  down  the 
river  or  not,  according  to  circumstances. 

One  thing  more.  I  shall  not  probably  go  to  Sandwich,  be 
cause  there  is  no  one  to  go  with  us;  but  if  your  wife  and 
daughters  will  come  down  and  go  and  stay  there,  while  you  are 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  459 

holding  your   August  court,   I  and   the  children  will  go  with 
them. 

I  will  write  you  further  before  I  go  to  Nantucket.  I  resisted 
going  there  for  a  long  time  ;  but  it  was  of  some  importance  to 
my  employers,  and  they  made  it  of  some  importance  to  me. 

You  say  nothing  of  what  is  done,  or  doing  at  Concord,  ex 
cept  that  all  is  by  this  time  done ;  I  hope  well  done. 

Yours,  D.  W. 


CHIEF    JUSTICE    SMITH    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Exeter,  August  10,  1828. 

DEAR  SIR, — The  trustees  of  the  academy  have  usually  con 
vened  on  Wednesday  noon,  this  year  22d,  to  attend  examina 
tion  ;  and  for  business,  Thursday  morning. 

It  is  understood  this  year  that  the  Principal  intends  to  resign 
before  the  meeting  with  his  friends  on  Thursday.  Under  these 
circumstances,  I  have  supposed  it  proper  that  the  trustees  should 
meet  Wednesday  morning,  for  business,  so  that  Thursday  may 
be  devoted  to  the  fete.  The  examination  and  the  exhibition 
in  the  academy  are  to  be  dispensed  with ;  I  hope  we  shall  have 
the  pleasure  of  your  attendance  on  the  going  out  and  coming  in 
of  Mr.  Prince  to  the  trustees,  not  a  mere  ceremony.  Colonel 
Bell  will  not  attend,  and  circumstances  may,  without  you, 
prevent  a  quorum. 

I  am,  as  always,  with  sincere  regard  yours, 

JEREMIAH  SMITH. 


MR.    TUDOR    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Rio  Janeiro,  August  26,  1828. 

DEAR  WEBSTER, — I  had  at  length  the  pleasure  of  receiving  a 
letter  from  you  a  few  days  since,  and  being  one  of  the  most 
placable  of  men,  forgot  the  preceding  enormous  neglect.  In 
the  events  that  tried  you  last  winter,  I  need  not  tell  you  I  sym 
pathized,  not  only  from  affection  towards  you,  but  towards  her 
whom  you  lost.  After  wrestling  for  a  time  with  feeling,  and 


460  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

gaining  a  partial  victory  by  aid  of  time,  placed  as  you  are,  a 
man  is  obliged,  out  of  regard  to  her  he  laments,  to  supply  her 
place  with  some  one  to  watch  over  the  pledges  she  left  him. 
To  this  conclusion  you  must  come  at  last ;  and,  strange  as  it 
may  seem,  though  the  last  person  in  the  world  to  be  a  match 
maker,  there  is  a  young  native  woman  of  New  Hampshire,  who 
I  thought  would  be  a  suitable  person.  I  would  have  wished 
you  had  gone  to  St.  James,  for  your  own  gratification,  your 
further  preparation  for  being  the  person  hereafter  to  approve  the 
laws  instead  of  making  them,  and  for  the  advantage  of  the 
United  States.  But  I  suppose  you  cannot  be  spared  for  a  year 
or  two ;  but  at  any  rate  you  must  get  a  run  through  London, 
Paris,  and  Edinburgh,  some  vacation,  instead  of  going  to  Sand 
wich  ;  you  may  do  it  all  in  four  months  out  and  home ;  Perkins 
would  say,  in  less  time. 

I  do  not  like  to  express  myself  about  our  opposition,  lest  it 
might  possibly  be  the  result  of  any  interested  feeling,  which  I 
cannot  detect  after  self-examination.  I  see  but  few  of  their 
papers,  and  seldom  read  them  when  seen ;  but  I  will  say,  nothing 
more  indecent,  mischievous,  flagitious,  than  the  gang  that  has 
conspired  together  to  make  use  of  the  poor  General's  name,  ever 
disgraced  a  free  country.  That  T.  T.  L.  should  have  waded 
deliberately  into  such  a  slough,  is  strange,  though  it  always 
seemed  that  there  was  a  want  of  heart  to  keep  the  head  he 
has  in  a  right  course,  but  I  hope  it  is  only  a  transient  error,  and 
that  he  will  get  out,  take  a  warm  bath,  and  again  be  able  to 
mix  with  gentlemen. 

As  to  my  affairs  here,  they  have  caused  me  considerable 
anxiety,  being  with  people  who,  from  a  complication  of  weak 
nesses,  vanity,  presumption,  timidity,  &c.,  are  difficult  to  man 
age,  and  especially  involved  as  they  are,  or  rather  have  been, 
for  they  are  now  about  being  relieved,  in  a  maze  of  difficulties, 
growing  out  of  this  stupid  war.  Their  object  was  to  turn,  to 
double,  and  delay,  to  gain  time  if  possible.  The  short-course 
process,  that  of  force,  we  might  have  used  very  effectively ;  but 
the  danger  was,  that  they  are  so  feeble,  we  could  not  have 
handled  them  without  breaking  their  shell.  Our  intercourse  is 
too  considerable  and  too  fast  increasing  not  to  be  fostered  and 
put  on  a  good  footing.  I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  effect  this  in 
season  to  be  submitted  to  you  this  winter ;  they  seem  to  me 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  461 

to  be  really  desirous  of  making  a  treaty,  and  of  being  on  good 
terms.     I  shall  try  to  strengthen  these  inclinations. 

If  I  can  get  through  the  business  intrusted  to  me  in  season 
to  have  the  treaty  ratified  this  winter,  I  propose  to  ask  the 
President  to  give  me  leave  to  resign,  being  tired  of  South 
America.  There  are  many  sacrifices  to  be  made,  beside  that 
of  health,  in  a  long  residence.  This  country  about  Rio,  its 
magnificent  bay,  surrounding  mountains,  all  forming  the  most 
varied  and  picturesque  outline,  a  landscape  painter  would  be  in 
ecstasy  at  the  endless  number  of  studies  it  offers ;  but  the 
society  is  nothing.  Besides,  it  is  hard  to  live  here  on  our  salary; 
and  as  promotion  is  very  uncertain,  the  service  with  us  not 
being  regular,  commanders-in-chief  being  in  most  instances 
taken  from  the  militia,  there  is  little  motive  to  stay  abroad  on  a 
bare  subsistence,  though  in  a  respectable  station ;  and  though  I 
have  not  a  very  pleasant  prospect  before  me  in  returning,  a  very 
dismal  one  if  my  mines  in  Peru  do  not  yield  something,  I 
hope  to  see  you  early  next  summer.  Never  having  had  an 
opportunity  before,  I  must  trouble  you  to  make  my  affectionate 
compliments  to  Mrs.  S.  Lee. 

Yours  sincerely, 

W.  TUDOR. 


MR.    TUDOR    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Legation  of  the  United  States  of  America,  August  29,  1828. 

DEAR  WEBSTER, — The  Macedonian  has  been  delayed,  wait 
ing  to  carry  the  news  of  peace,  the  preliminaries  of  which  I 
think  were  signed  yesterday,  though  I  do  not  know  it  certainly. 
I  made  a  sortie  from  the  heaps  of  papers,  in  which  I  am  obliged 
to  burrow,  to  breathe  a  freer  air,  and  write  a  postscript  to  what  I 
have  already  addressed  to  you,  by  this  same  frigate. 

I  forgot  to  touch  upon  a  subject  I  had  in  my  mind.  If  oppo 
sition  can  go  on  in  the  unprincipled  manner  it  has  done  the  last 
four  years,  for  a  few  years  longer,  in  my  opinion  they  will  break 
down  the  government  by  the  mere  weight  of  filth  they  will  heap 
upon  it. 

There  seems  to  be  a  concerted  plan  to  destroy  every  branch 
of  the  public  service.  I  believe  that  the  greatest  abuses  of  our 
39* 


462  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

government  are  now  to  be  found  in  Congress,  and  that  they  are 
getting  into  more  vicious  courses  every  day.  It  will  eventually, 
if  unchecked  by  public  opinion,  become  only  an  arena,  where 
every  profligate  demagogue  will  attempt  to  court  public  applause 
by  doing  his  uttermost  to  blast,  rather  than  to  sustain,  the  gov 
ernment.  I  touched  upon  the  subject,  in  a  moment  of  vexation, 
in  an  article  in  The  North  American  Review,  the  only  scrap  I 
have  written  for  type  since  I  left  home.  I  think  either  in  that 
or  "Walsh's,  a  powerful  article,  written  with  temper,  energy,  and 
knowledge  of  the  subject,  as  a  kind  of  appeal  to  the  nation,  to 
pounce  upon  the  recent  conduct  of  their  servants,  in  the  two 
Houses  who  have  sacrificed  their  duty  in  the  mad  career  of 
faction  would  be  salutary,  and  would  have  its  effect. 

The  disregard  of  the  interests  of  the  country  in  an  endeavor 
to  embarrass  the  administration  by  want  of  timely  legislation  in 
the  United  States  question  ;  the  attempt  to  break  down  the  army 
by  abolishing  the  poor  office  of  a  solitary  major-general ;  the 
keeping  down  the  navy  by  the  refusal  to  appoint  flag  officers ; 
the  excessive  mischief  that  has  been  caused  by  refusing  to  make 
a  quarter's  advance  in  the  appropriations  for  the  navy  until  the 
present  year,  a  chairman  of  a  naval  committee  declaring  that 
merchant  captains  might  be  taken  as  they  should  be  wanted  to 
command  our  ships  of  war!  which  is  either  ignorance  or  treach 
ery  without  example,  and  fifty  other  items  that  I  cannot  par 
ticularize,  but  of  equal,  or  greater  moment ;  the  making  the 
tariff  bill  as  bad  as  they  could  avowedly ;  the  patronage  of  ruf 
fians  in  the  capitol,  like  the  editors  of  The  Telegraph,  &c.,  &c., 
&c.  Pray  have  this  matter  thought  about  by  those  who  are 
capable. 

You  alluded  to  what  I  hastily  wrote  you  on  the  subject  of 
conveying  back  the  commerce  of  the  western  side  of  this  conti 
nent  to  Panama.  It  would  take  a  quire  to  develop  the  sub 
ject,  but  be  assured  it  is  the  most  important  object  that  can  be 
effected  for  the  increase  of  our  foreign  commerce.  This  point, 
that  of  settling  the  West  India's  question,  with  the  English,  (I 
think  I  shall  be  able  to  make  Brazil  a  potent  ally  against  the 
colonial  system,)  the  obtaining  payment  for  the  claims  on  France, 
and  the  restoring  Spain  to  her  former  prosperity  and  power  by 
persuading  her  to  recognize  South  America,  are  the  great  de 
siderata,  in  my  humble  opinion,  of  our  foreign  policy. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  463 

The  preliminaries  of  peace  are  undoubtedly  signed.  I  expect 
to  be  able  to  communicate  officially,  though  I  only  know  it  as 
yet  second  hand  from  Sir  Robert  Otway,  the  English  admiral. 
Excuse  a  very  hurried  epistle  from 

Yours,  truly  and  affectionately, 

W.  TUDOR. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    REV.    MR.    BRAZER. 

Boston,  November  10,  1828. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  part  with  Whately,  not  without  regret,  as  I  have 
not  had  leisure  to  go  through  him  regularly,  although  I  have 
had  some  good  snatches  here  and  there.  It  is  a  good  book.  If 
it  were  not  for  an  appearance  of  self-conceit,  I  would  say  that  I 
have  found  in  it  twenty  things  which  I  have  thought  of  often, 
and  been  convinced  of  long,  but  never  before  saw  in  print.  He 
shows  sense,  especially  in  the  prominence  which  he  gives  to  per 
spicuity  and  energy,  as  qualities  of  style.  I  like  his  hatred  of 
adjectives,  his  love  of  Saxon  words,  and  his  idea  of  the  true  use 
of  repetition ;  this  last  might  be  much  further  explained  than 
it  is  done  by  him.  There  is  something  which  may  be  called 
augmentative  repetition,  that  is  capable  sometimes  of  producing 
great  effect.  "  The  author  of  the  murder  stood  by  the  side  of 
his  victim,  wet,  bathed  with  the  blood  he  had  shed,"  or,  "  the 
murderer  stood  by  the  side  of  the  slain,  his  sandals  wet  with  the 
blood,  the  warm,  gushing  blood  of  his  victim."  In  this  last  case, 
by  the  way,  adjectives  do  their  office ;  they  add  definite  ideas. 

What  Mr.  Whately  says  upon  the  effect  of  particularization,  is 
just,  especially  as  applied  to  pathetic  description.  The  skilful, 
and  apparently  natural  enumeration  of  particulars,  is  certainly,in 
its  proper  place,  one  of  the  very  best  modes  of  producing  impres 
sion.  All  the  standard  works  are  full  of  instances  of  this  sort  of 
composition. 

Perhaps  the  very  best  and  most  touching,  is  in  the  12th  verse 
of  the  7th  chapter  of  Luke.  Here  are  comprised,  in  one  short 
and  single  paragraph  : — 


464  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

A  death ;  a  funeral ;  the  death  of  a  young  person,  for  his 
mother  was  living ;  the  death  of  a  son ;  the  death  of  an  only 
son ;  the  son  of  a  living  mother ;  that  mother  a  widow. 

You  remember,  much  better  than  I  do,  what  a  burst  Massillon 
has,  at  the  opening  of  his  sermon  on  this  text.  This  fine  passage 
would  have  been  tame  enough,  if,  sinking  all  particulars,  it  had 
only  recited,  that,  "  when  he  came  to  the  city,  he  met  the  funeral 
of  one  who  had  died  under  very  afflicting  circumstances." 

Additional  effect  is  given  to  the  incident,  by  fixing  so  nearly 
the  place  where  it  was,  nigh  to  the  gate  of  the  city.  This  minute 
statement  of  place,  as  well  as  of  time,  gives  great  naturalness  to 
narrative  compositions.  Homer  and  De  Foe,  I  regard  as  the 
greatest  masters  of  this  part  of  their  art,  always  excepting  the 
Scriptures. 

Mr.  Whately's  rejection  of  expletives  and  epithets,  shows  his 
just  perception  of  strength  and  beauty.  Yet,  particularization 
is  sometimes  out  of  place.  There  are  cases  in  which  compre 
hension  or  generalization  is  altogether  preferable.  Suppose  one 
should  say,  "  The  distinction  of  the  Christian  revelation  is,  that 
it  is  addressed  not  only  to  Englishmen,  but  also  to  Frenchmen, 
Spaniards,  Germans,  Italians,  Russians,  Prussians,"  &c.,  &c. 
This  would  be  feeble.  Better  thus.  "  The  distinction  of  the 
Christian  revelation  is,  that  it  reveals  important  truths,  not  to  a 
few  favored  individuals,  but  to  all  the  race  of  men ;  not  to  a 
single  nation,  but  to  the  whole  world."  A  book  might  be  written 
on  this  little  question,  "  When  is  effect  produced  by  generaliza 
tion  ;  when  by  particularization  ?  "  At  least,  a  book  might  be 
filled  with  opposite  instances  of  both  kinds,  from  our  English 
classics,  especially  the  Scriptures,  Shakespeare,  and  Milton.  An 
accurate  writer  should  avoid  generalities  sometimes,  not  always ; 
but  when,  it  would  require  a  treatise  to  expound.  I  rejoice  to 
see  one  Rhetorician  who  will  allow  nothing  to  words  but  as  they 
are  signs  of  ideas.  The  rule  is  a  good  one,  to  use  no  word  which 
does  not  suggest  an  idea,  or  modify  some  idea  already  suggested. 
And  this  should  lead  writers  to  adopt  sparingly  the  use  of  such 
words  as  "  vast,"  "  amazing,"  "  astonishing,"  &c.  For,  what  do 
they  mean  ?  Dr.  Watts,  who  by  the  way,  I  do  not  deem  al 
together  a  bad  poet,  somewhere  speaks  of  the  flight  of  an  angel 
as  being  with  "  most  amazing  speed."  But  what  idea  is  con 
veyed  by  this  mode  of  expression  ?  What  is  "  amazing  speed  ?  " 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  465 

It  would  amaze  us,  if  we  saw  an  oyster  moving  a  mile  a  day. 
It  would  not  amaze  us  to  see  a  greyhound  run  a  mile  in  a 
minute. 

On  the  other  hand,  see  with  what  unequalled  skill  Milton 
represents  both  the  distance  through  which,  and  the  speed  with 
which,  Mulciber  fell  from  heaven : — 

From  morn 

To  noon  he  fell,  from  noon  to  dewy  eve, 
A  summer's  day ;  and  with  the  setting  sun, 
Dropt  from  the  zenith,  like  a  falling  star. 

What  art  is  manifest  in  these  few  lines !  The  object  is  to 
express  great  distance,  and  great  velocity,  neither  of  which  is 
capable  of  very  easy  suggestion  to  the  human  mind.  We  are 
told  that  the  angel  fell  a  day,  a  long  summer's  day  ;  the  day  is 
broken  into  forenoon  and  afternoon,  that  the  time  may  seem  to 
be  protracted. 

He  does  not  reach  the  earth  till  sunset ;  and  then,  to  represent 
the  velocity,  he  "  drops,"  one  of  the  very  best  words  in  the  lan 
guage,  to  signify  sudden  and  rapid  fall,  and  then  comes  a  simile, 
"  like  a  falling  star." 

Excuse,  my  dear  Sir,  this  very  hurried  and  very  presumptuous 
letter.  You  have,  I  hope,  leisure  to  study  rhetoric  by  investigating 
its  principles.  I  have  given  little  time,  for  I  have  had  little  time 
to  give,  to  the  systematic  authors ;  but  I  have  observed  some 
thing  of  the  effect  of  speaking  and  writing,  and  have  endeavored 
to  analyze  "  the  causes  of  effects."  "  After  all,"  says  Cobbett, 
"  he  is  a  man  of  talent  that  can  make  a  thing  move."  And  after 
all,  say  I,  he  is  an  orator  that  can  make  me  think  as  he  thinks, 
and  feel  as  he  feels. 

And  I  pray  you,  my  dear  Sir,  both  to  think  and  to  feel,  that  I 
am,  with  much  regard, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


466  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


EZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

January  9,  1829. 

MY  DEAR  BROTHER, — The  legislature  adjourned  on  Saturday 
last,  the  3d  instant,  after  having  a  very  long  session  and  doing 
a  good  deal  of  business.  You  will  see  by  the  papers  that  a 
nomination  was  made  of  candidates  for  Congress.  To  be 
frank  with  you,  I  did  not  wish  nor  intend  to  be  a  candidate 
myself.  My  only  wish  is  to  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in 
domestic  happiness  and  peace.  But  circumstances  left  me  no 
choice ;  they  did  not  permit  me  to  consult  my  own  feelings 
and  wishes.  My  friends  determined  to  act  for  me,  and  thought 
I  had  no  right  to  act  for  myself.  And  so  I  am  up.  The  result 
of  the  election  is  pretty  doubtful,  and  especially  in  regard  to  my 
own.  There  are,  I  have  no  doubt,  a  good  many  Republicans 
in  the  administration  party  who  will  not  vote  for  a  Federalist, 
and  they,  of  course,  will  strike  off  my  name. 

I  should  like  to  learn  the  aspect  of  things  at  Washington  as 
soon  as  you  have  leisure.  How  is  Mr.  Clay's  health  ? 

Yours  truly, 

EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    EZEKIEL    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  January  17,  1829. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — The  enclosed  will  give  you  a  brief  of  all 
that  is  to  be  said  of  the  state  of  things  here. 

I  came  here  on  the  12th,  after  a  severe  cold  journey.  But 
three  judges  are  yet  here ;  we  expect  a  fourth  to-night,  and  I 
must  go  into  court  on  Monday.  Not  much  is  doing  in  the 
Senate.  Mr.  Wickliffe's  motion  about  the  mode  of  choosing 
officers  of  the  House,  which  was  intended  mainly  to  affect  the 
choice  of  printer,  was  to-day  laid  on  the  table  by  a  majority  of 
seven  or  eight  votes. 

You  did  right  to  go  on  the  ticket  I  showed  Mr.  Bell  your 
letter.  He  says  your  fears,  that  republicans  will  strike  off 
your  name,  are  groundless,  and  that  you  will  get  as  many  votes 
as  any  of  the  rest.  I  believe  you  will  all  be  chosen.  Let  me 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  467 

know  from  time  to  time  how  the  prospect  is.  Mr.  Moore's 
remark  in  a  late  journal  is  true ;  it  is  the  most  important  elec 
tion  in  New  Hampshire  since  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution. 
I  hope  our  friends  will  not  lose  it  for  want  of  attention. 

Let  me  hear  from  you.  D.  W. 


[Inclosed  in  letter  dated  January  17,  1829.] 

General  Jackson  will  be  here  about  15th  February. 

Nobody  knows  what  he  will  do  when  he  does  come. 

Many  letters  are  sent  to  him ;  he  answers  none  of  them. 

His  friends  here  pretend  to  be  very  knowing ;  but  be  assured, 
not  one  of  them  has  any  confidential  communication  from  him. 

Great  efforts  are  making  to  put  him  up  to  a  general  sweep, 
as  to  all  offices ;  springing  from  great  doubt  whether  he  is  dis 
posed  to  go  it. 

Nobody  is  authorized  to  say,  whether  he  intends  to  retire 
after  one  term  of  service. 

Who  will  form  his  cabinet  is  as  well  known  at  Boston  as  at 
Washington. 

The  present  apparent  calm  is  a  suspension  of  action,  a  sort 
of  syncope,  arising  from  ignorance  of  the  views  of  the  President 
elect. 

My  opinion  is,  that  when  he  comes  he  will  bring  a  breeze 
with  him.  Which  way  it  will  blow  I  cannot  tell. 

He  will  either  go  with  the  party,  as  they  say  in  New  York,  or 
go  the  whole  hog,  as  it  is  phrased  elsewhere,  making  all  the 
places  he  can  for  friends  and  supporters,  and  shaking  a  rod  of 
terror  at  his  opposers. 

Or  else  he  will  continue  to  keep  his  own  counsels,  make 
friends  and  advisers  of  whom  he  pleases,  and  be  President  upon 
his  own  strength. 

The  first  would  show  boldness  where  there  is  no  danger,  and 
decision  where  the  opposite  virtue  of  moderation  would  be  more 
useful.  The  latter  would  show  real  nerve,  and  if  he  have  talents 
to  maintain  himself  in  that  course,  true  greatness. 

My  fear  is  stronger  than  my  hope. 

Mr.  Adams  is  in  good  health,  and  complains  not  at  all  of  the 
measure  meted  out  to  him. 


468  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

Mr.  Clay's  health  is  much  improved,  and  his  spirits  excellent. 
He  goes  to  Kentucky  in  March,  and,  I  conjecture,  will  be 
pressed  into  the  next  House  of  Representatives.  His  chance  of 
being  at  the  head  of  affairs  is  now  better,  in  my  judgment,  than 
ever  before. 

Keep  New  England  firm  and  steady,  and  she  can  make  him 
President  if  she  chooses. 

Sundry  important  nominations  are  postponed,  probably  to 
know  General  Jackson's  pleasure. 

The  above  contains  all  that  is  known  here,  at  this  time. 
[Indorsed  1829.] 


MR.    WOOD    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Boscawen,  January  31,  1829. 

HONORED  AND  DEAR  SIR, — It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  perform 
an  office  in  the  object  of  which  I  am  much  interested.  I  say 
interested,  because  it  gives  me  an  opportunity  to  do  that  offi 
cially,  which  I  have  considered  as  incumbent  on  me  to  do  as 
an  individual. 

I  present  you  the  enclosed,  as  expressive  of  the  feelings  of  the 
friends,  and  especially  the  trustees,  of  Boscawen  Academy. 

You  will  perhaps  ask  after  my  health,  as  I  was  feeble  when  I 
saw  you  last.  Sir,  I  have  reason  to  be  thankful  that  my  health 
is  such  as  that  I  am  able  to  preach  on  the  Sabbaths  and  to 
attend  to  some  other  duties.  It  is  my  prayer  that  you  may 
have  wisdom  from  on  high  to  direct  you  in  the  important  station 
which  you  are  called  to  fill. 

Your  affectionate  friend, 

SAMUEL  WOOD. 

Honorable  Daniel  Webster. 

Voted,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Board  of  Trustees  be  presented  to 
the  Honorable  Daniel  Webster  for  his  very  generous  donation 
of  a  suitable  bell  for  our  academy ;  and  that  the  president  com 
municate  the  same. 

From  the  Record.  EBEN.  PRICE,  Secretary. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  469 


BZEKIEL    WEBSTER    TO    DANIEL    WEBSTER. 

February  15,  1829. 

DEAR  DANIEL, — I  do  not  write  to  you  oftener  for  two  reasons ; 
one,  I  have  nothing  to  say ;  the  other,  that  you  have  no  leisure 
to  read  letters  that  say  nothing.  I  can  give  you  nothing  new  in 
regard  to  affairs  in  New  Hampshire. 

The  truth  is  that  the  people  made  such  an  effort  last  fall, 
were  so  disappointed  in  the  result,  and  so  disgusted  with  the 
conduct  of  Mr.  Adams,  that  they  have  not  any  heart  to  make 
any  exertions.  They  always  supported  his  cause  from  a  cold 
sense  of  duty,  and  not  from  any  liking  of  the  man.  We  soon 
satisfy  ourselves  that  we  have  discharged  our  duty  to  the  cause 
of  any  man,  when  we  do  not  entertain  for  him  one  personal 
kind  feeling,  nor  cannot,  unless  we  disembowel  ourselves,  like  a 
trussed  turkey,  of  all  that  is  human  nature  within  us.  During 
the  last  contest,  this  cause  alone  had  no  little  effect  in  producing 
all  its  disasters. 

If  there  had  been  at  the  head  of  affairs  a  man  of  popular  char 
acter,  like  Mr.  Clay,  or  any  man  whom  we  were  not  compelled 
by  our  natures,  instincts,  and  fixed  fate  to  dislike,  the  result 
would  have  been  different. 

People  cannot  have  strong  affections  for  the  cause,  and  strong 
dislike  for  the  man.  The  measures  of  his  administration  were 
just  and  wise,  and  every  honest  man  should  have  supported 
them,  but  many  honest  men  did  not,  for  the  reason  I  have  men 
tioned. 

At  what  time  do  you  intend  to  be  home  ? 

We  are  anxious  here  to  see  the  first  movements  of  General 
Jackson,  as  this  will  indicate  the  course  of  his  policy. 

I  hear  from  Boston  often,  and  you,  -I  suppose,  every  day. 

Yours  truly, 

E.  WEBSTER. 
VOL.  i.  40 


470  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    E.    WEBSTER. 

Senate  Chamber,  February  19,  1829. 

MY  DEAR  SISTER, — I  must  begin  with  apology ;  or  let  me  rather 
say,  with  confession ;  for  though  I  am  willing  to  confess  great 
and  censurable  omissions,  I  have  little  to  urge  by  way  of  apology, 
and  nothing  which  amounts  to  justification.  Let  me  pray  you, 
therefore,  in  the  exercise  of  your  clemency,  to  adopt  the  rule 
which  Hamlet  prescribes  for  passing  judgment  on  the  players. 
Do  not  treat  me  according  to  my  deserts,  for  if  so,  "  who  would 
escape  whipping,"  but  according  to  your  own  bounty  and  dig 
nity;  the  less  I  deserve  forgiveness,  the  more  will  forgiveness 
exalt  your  forbearance  and  mercy. 

The  children  under  your  good  superintendence  have  written 
me  continually,  day  by  day,  very  good  letters.  Mr.  Paige  also 
has  been  kind,  as  he  always  is.  Your  own  letters  have  completed 
my  circle  of  domestic  correspondence,  and  I  must  say  that  it  has 
been  very  punctual,  and  highly  gratifying.  And  now  what  can 
I  tell  you  worth  hearing  ? 

General  Jackson  has  been  here  about  ten  days.  Of  course 
the  city  is  full  of  speculation  and  speculators.  "  A  great  multi 
tude,"  too  many  to  be  fed  without  a  miracle,  are  already  in  the 
city,  hungry  for  office.  Especially,  I  learn,  that  the  typographi 
cal  corps  is  assembled  in  great  force.  From  New  Hampshire, 
our  friend  Hill ;  from  Boston,  Mr.  Greene ;  from  Connecticut, 
Mr.  Norton ;  from  New  York,  Mr.  Noah ;  from  Kentucky,  Mr. 
Kendall,  and  from  everywhere  else,  somebody  else.  So  many 
friends  ready  to  advise,  and  whose  advice  is  so  disinterested, 
make  somewhat  of  a  numerous  council  about  the  President 
elect ;  and,  if  report  be  true,  it  is  a  council  which  only  "  makes 
that  darker,  which  was  dark  enough  before."  For  these  reasons, 
or  these  with  others,  nothing  is  settled  yet,  about  the  new 
cabinet  I  suppose  Mr.  Van  Buren  will  be  Secretary  of  State  ; 
but  beyond  that,  I  do  not  think  any  thing  is  yet  determined. 

For  ten  or  twelve  days,  our  Senate  has  been  acting  with 
closed  doors,  on  certain  nominations  to  office  by  Mr.  Adams. 
What  we  have  done  is  not  yet  known,  though  one  day  it  will 
be  probably. 

The  general  spirit  prevailing  here,  with  the  friends  of  the  new 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  471 

President,  is  that  of  a  pretty  decided  party  character.  It  is  not 
quite  so  fierce  as  our  New  England  Jackson  men  are  actuated 
by,  still,  I  think  it  likely  to  grow  more  and  more  bitter,  unless, 
which  is  highly  probable,  the  party  itself  should  divide. 

We  have  all  read  the  dispute  between  Mr.  Adams  and  the 
Boston  gentlemen.  Thus  far  I  believe  the  universal  feeling  is, 
that  Mr.  Adams  has  the  worst  side  of  it.  I  hear,  however,  that 
he  is  about  to  reply  in  another  pamphlet ! ! 

The  fashionable  world  is  and  has  been  full  and  gay.  Crowds 
have  come  and  are  coming  to  see  the  inauguration,  &c.  I  have 
been  to  three  parties,  to  wit,  Mrs.  Adams's  last,  Mrs.  Clay's  last, 
and  Mrs.  Porter's  last.  Mrs.  Porter,  wife  of  the  Secretary  of 
War,  is  a  fine  woman,  whom  we  visited  at  Niagara,  when  there 
four  years  ago.  With  these  manifestations  of  regard  for  the  set 
ting  sun  and  stars,  I  have  satisfied  my  desire  of  seeing  the  social 
circles.  If  there  should  be  a  ball  on  the  22d,  I  shall  attend  as 
usual,  to  commemorate  the  great  and  good  man  born  on  that  day. 

Judge  Story  is  well,  and  in  his  usual  spirits.  The  court  is 
deeply  engaged,  and  as  soon  as  I  get  rid  of  these  secret  sessions 
of  the  Senate,  I  have  enough  to  do  in  it. 

We  are  looking  to  New  Hampshire.  I  shall  not  engage  lodg 
ings  for  you  and  your  husband  next  winter,  till  I  see  the  returns. 
[Conclusion  cut  off.] 


MR.  WEBSTER  TO  MARY  ANN  WEBSTER. 

Washington,  February  23,  1829. 

MY  DEAR  MARY  ANN,— I  am  exceedingly  sorry  that  you  are 
so  ill  that  your  thoughts  cannot  flow  from  your  own  pen.  I 
trust,  however,  that  your  little  fever,  which  the  Doctor  calls  a 
slow  one,  will  hasten  off  with  a  quickened  pace.  Your  sister 
and  Julia  will,  I  hope,  not  fail  to  let  me  know,  every  day,  how 
you  get  along,  as  I  shall  be  anxious  till  I  hear  that  you  are  quite 
well.  You  may  safely  tell  Alice  and  Julia  to  do  their  best  to 
run  away  from  you  if  they  can.  You  will  overtake  them  when 
you  get  well.  Tell  them  to  fly  on  in  music,  dancing,  and 
French.  Give  my  love  to  mother  and  all  the  rest. 
Your  affectionate  uncle, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


472  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    E.    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  Sunday  morning,  March  2,  1829. 

DEAR  SISTER, — I  had  letters  yesterday  from  Mr.  Paige  and 
from  Alice,  which  ought  to  have  been  received  two  days  earlier. 
This,  I  suppose,  is  to  be  placed  to  the  account  of  your  great 
storm. 

With  less  snow,  we  have  very  cold  weather  here.  There  has 
not  been  a  warm  day  since  I  came  here,  although  I  have  often 
seen  the  peach-trees  in  blossom  in  February.  The  ground  is 
still  covered  with  snow,  the  river  hard  frozen,  and  the  weather 
steadily  cold.  It  will  make  bad  travelling  for  those  who  leave 
here  the  4th. 

Tuesday  is  the  last  day  of  the  session  of  Congress.  A  special 
session  of  the  Senate  is  called  to  meet  on  Wednesday,  the  4th. 
I  suppose  it  will  not  last  beyond  two  or  three  days.  General 
Jackson  will  then  nominate  his  new  cabinet,  and  make  such 
changes  in  office  as  he  sees  fit.  On  this  latter  subject  very  little 
is  known  about  his  intentions ;  probably  he  will  make  some 
removals,  but  I  think  not  a  great  many  immediately.  But  we 
shall  soon  see. 

The  court  will  probably  continue  its  session  a  fortnight  longer, 
and  then  I  shall  set  my  face  northward.  I  hope  your  patience 
will  hold  out.  Consider  how  cold  it  must  be  up  at  Boscawen, 
and  how  busy  your  husband  is  now,  and  how  soon  he  will  come 
to  Boston,  after  the  10th,  either  for  congratulation  or  con 
dolence.  He  will  need  a  week  in  either  case,  and  that  will  bring 
March  so  far  along,  that  I  trust  you  will  be  able  to  content  your 
self  till  I  come. 

My  health  is  good,  but  I  find,  to  confess  the  truth,  that  I  am 
growing  indolent.  I  would  be  glad  to  have  more  decisive  voli 
tions.  I  do  nothing  in  Congress  or  the  court,  but  what  is  clearly 
necessary ;  and  in  such  cases,  even,  my  efforts  "  come  haltingly 
off."  In  short,  I  believe  the  truth  is,  that  I  am  growing  old,  and 
age  you  know,  or  rather  you  have  heard,  requires  repose. 
Adieu,  yours,  with  much  affectionate  regard, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  473 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    E.    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  March  4,  1829. 

[First  year  of  the  administration  of  Andrew  Jackson,  and  the  first  day.] 

MY  DEAR  SISTER, — I  thank  you  for  yours,  received  to-day,  and 
thank  you  both  for  the  letter  itself  and  for  your  pardon  which  it 
contains,  and  of  which  I  stood  in  so  much  need.  Your  benignity 
is  memorable  and  praiseworthy.  To  be  serious,  however,  my 
dear  sister,  let  me  say  once  for  all,  that  I  have  a  very  affectionate 
regard  for  you ;  that  I  am  very  glad  you  are  my  sister,  and  the 
wife  of  the  best  of  all  brothers ;  and  that  if,  like  him,  I  am  not  the 
most  punctual  of  all  correspondents,  I  am  like  him  in  sincerity 
and  constancy  of  esteem.  If  you  find  in  your  connection  with 
my  own  little  broken  circle  but  one  half  as  much  pleasure  as 
you  bestow,  you  will  have  no  reason  to  regret  it.  Your  presence 
with  my  children,  through  the  winter,  has  relieved  me  from  a 
pressing  weight  of  anxiety. 

To-day  we  have  had  the  inauguration.  A  monstrous  crowd 
of  people  is  in  the  city.  I  never  saw  any  thing  like  it  before. 
Persons  have  come  five  hundred  miles  to  see  General  Jackson, 
and  they  really  seem  to  think  that  the  country  is  rescued  from 
some  dreadful  danger. 

The  inauguration  speech  you  will  see.  I  cannot  make  much 
of  it,  except  that  it  is  anti-tariff,  at  least  in  some  degree.  "What 
it  says  about  reform  in  office  may  be  either  a  prelude  to  a  gen 
eral  change  in  office,  or  a  mere  sop  to  soothe  the  hunger,  without 
satisfying  it,  of  the  thousand  expectants  for  office  who  throng 
the  city,  and  clamor  all  over  the  country.  I  expect  some  changes, 
but  not  a  great  many  at  present.  The  show  lasted  only  half  an 
hour.  The  Senate  assembled  at  eleven,  the  judges  and  foreign 
ministers  came  in,  the  President  elect  was  introduced,  and  all 
seated  by  half-past  eleven.  The  Senate  was  full  of  ladies ;  a 
pause  ensued  till  twelve.  Then  the  President,  followed  by  the 
Senate,  &c.,  went  through  the  great  rotunda,  on  to  the  portico, 
over  the  eastern  front  door ;  and  those  went  with  him  who  could, 
but  the  crowd  broke  in  as  we  were  passing  the  rotunda,  and 
all  became  confusion.  On  the  portico,  in  the  open  air,  the  day 
very  warm  and  pleasant,  he  read  his  inaugural,  and  took  the 
oath.  A  great  shout  followed  from  the  multitude,  and  in  fifteen 
40* 


474  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

minutes,  "  silence  settled,  deep  and  still."  Every  body  was  dis 
persed.  As  I  walked  home,  I  called  in  at  a  bookstore,  and  saw 
a  volume  which  I  now  send  you  ;  it  may  serve  to  regulate  mat 
ters  of  etiquette  at  Boscawen. 

I  hope  to  write  Edward  to-night     If  not,  I  shall  not  fail  to 
do  so  to-morrow. 

Yours  very  sincerely  and  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER  TO  EZEKIEL  WEBSTER. 

% 

Washington,  Sunday  evening,  March  15,  1829. 

DEAR  EZEKIEL, — The  Senate  will  probably  adjourn  to-morrow, 
and  I  hope  the  court  will  rise,  or  at  least  will  dismiss  me  by 
Wednesday  or  Thursday.  I  shall  be  immediately  off.  My 
books  are  in  trunks.  I  shall  hear  from  New  Hampshire  to 
morrow,  and  dispose  of  them  according  to  circumstances.  If 
no  change  takes  place  in  my  own  condition,  of  which  I  have  not 
the  slightest  expectation,  and  if  you  are  not  elected,  I  shall  not 
return.  This,  inter  nos,  but  my  mind  is  settled.  Under  present 
circumstances,  public  and  domestic,  it  is  disagreeable  being  here, 
and  to  me  there  is  no  novelty  to  make  compensation.  It  will 
be  better  for  me  and  my  children  that  I  should  be  with  them. 
If  I  do  not  come  in  a  public,  I  shall  not  in  a  professional 
character.  I  can  leave  the  court  now  as  well  as  ever,  and  can 
earn  my  bread  as  well  at  home  as  here. 

Your  company  and  that  of  your  wife,  would  make  a  great 
difference.  I  have  not  much  expectation  that  you  will  be  re 
turned.  Our  fortune  is,  as  connected  with  recent  and  current 
political  events,  that  if  there  be  opposite  chances,  the  unfavor 
able  one  turns  up.  You  had  a  snow  of  five  feet,  which  of  itself 
might  turn  the  election  against  the  well-disposed  and  indifferent, 
and  in  favor  of  the  mischievous  and  the  active.  I  shall  not  be 
disappointed  if  I  hear  bad  news. 

I  make  my  point  to  be  home  the  first  day  of  April,  when  I 
trust  I  shall  meet  you.  We  will  then  settle  what  is  best  to  do 
with  the  children.  I  shall  want  Julia  and  Edward  to  stay  a 
little  while  with  me.  Edward,  I  think,  should  then  go  to  Bos- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  475 

cawen.      I  hardly  know  what  I  shall  think  best  to  do  with 
Julia. 

Yours  as  ever, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  We  have  had  one  important  cause  here.  It  is  from 
New  York,  respecting  what  is  called  the  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor. 
I  have  made  a  greater  exertion  in  it  than  in  any  other  since 
Dartmouth  College  v.  Woodward,  or  than  it  is  probable  I  shall 
ever  make  in  another. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    E.    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  April  15,  1829. 

MY  DEAR  SISTER, — We  had  a  very  good  journey  home,  and 
arrived  last  evening  at  about  eight  o'clock.  Mr.  Paige  is  here ; 
he  reached  home  from  New  York  on  Sunday  evening.  No 
news  reached  him  till  he  came  into  the  house  here.  Julia  has 
come  home  this  morning ;  she  seems  well,  except  her  usual 
cough.  I  think  I  shall  consult  Dr.  Warren  as  to  that.  My 
losses  have  been  such  that  I  feel  alarmed  for  every  thing  that 
remains. 

Mary  will  put  up  your  articles  and  Edward's  clothes,  and, 
perhaps,  we  may  send  them  by  the  coach  which  carries  this.  I 
hear  that  Mrs.  Ticknor  and  Mrs.  Hale  are  well  as  usual. 

Your  house,  my  dear  sister,  is  not  alone  solitary  and  melan 
choly.  It  is  the  same  here. 

Yours  truly  and  affectionately, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    DR.    PERKINS. 

Boston,  April  17,  1829. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — You  will  have  heard  of  the  sudden  death 
of  my  brother.  The  event  necessarily  called  me  to  Boscawen, 
from  which  place  I  returned  a  day  or  two  ago.  It  has  quite 
overwhelmed  us  all.  Mrs.  Webster  and  the  oldest  daughter 
were  here,  when  it  happened.  The  messenger  brought  us  the 


476  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

news  at  three  o'clock,  on  Saturday  morning,  the  llth  instant 
The  death  took  place  the  previous  afternoon  at  four  o'clock. 
You  will  probably  have  seen  some  account  of  it.  It  seems  to 
me  I  never  heard  of  a  death  so  instantaneous.  He  fell  in  an 
instant,  without  any  effort  to  save  himself,  and  without  any 
struggle  or  sign  of  consciousness,  after  he  reached  the  floor.  On 
receiving  the  tidings,  Mrs.  Webster  and  her  daughter,  and  my 
self  and  two  sons,  set  off  immediately,  and  arrived  at  Boscawen 
that  evening  at  nine  o'clock.  The  funeral  was  attended  the 
next  day.  Mrs.  Webster's  constitution  is  feeble,  and  I  knew 
not  how  she  would  get  through  the  dreadful  scene ;  yet  she 
did  get  through.  I  left  her  far  better  than  was  to  have  been 
expected ;  and  a  letter  received  to-day  says  she  continues  so. 
It  was  not  possible  for  me  to  stay  long  from  home,  on  so  sud 
den  a  call ;  but  I  must  return  in  two  or  three  days  to  Boscawen, 
to  pay  proper  attention  to  the  circumstances  of  the  family.  My 
brother  has  left  two  daughters,  one  fourteen  and  one  twelve 
years  old;  and  a  wife,  a  fine  woman,  to  whom  he  had  been 
married  about  four  years.  He  has  left  a  competency  to  those 
dependent  on  him ;  but  it  will  require  care  and  oversight  to 
preserve  it,  and  make  the  most  of  it. 

This  event,  my  dear  Sir,  has  affected  me  very  much.  Coming 
so  soon  after  another  awful  stroke,  it  seems  to  fall  with  double 
weight.  He  has  been  my  reliance,  through  life,  and  I  have 
derived  much  of  its  happiness  from  his  fraternal  affection.  I 
am  left  the  sole  survivor  of  my  family.  Yet  I  have  objects  of 
affection  in  my  children,  and  I  do  not  intend  to  repine ;  though 
I  confess  I  cannot  well  describe  the  effect  of  this  event  on  my 
feelings. 

I  ought  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  two  letters  from  you, 
yet  unanswered.  It  is  probable,  that  but  for  this  melancholy 
occurrence,  I  should  have  been  in  New  York  the  first  of  May. 
Now,  it  is  hardly  likely  I  shall  be  there  before  the  sitting  of  the 
court,  on  the  25th. 

I  pray  you  give  our  love  to  Mrs.  Perkins.  We  know  she 
sympathizes  with  us,  in  all  our  afflictions.  Remember  me  also 
to  Mr.  Clarke's  family,  whom  I  had  not  the  pleasure  of  seeing 
as  I  came  home. 

Yours  always  truly, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  477 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Boston,  April  19,  1829. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  thank  you  for  your  kind  letter.  You  do 
not  and  cannot  overrate  the  strength  of  the  shock  which  my 
brother's  death  has  caused  me.  I  have  felt  but  one  such  in  life ; 
and  this  follows  that  so  soon  that  it  requires  more  fortitude 
than  I  possess  to  bear  it  with  firmness,  such  perhaps  as  I  ought. 
I  am  aware  that  the  case  admits  of  no  remedy,  nor  any  present 
relief;  and  endeavor  to  console  myself  with  reflecting,  that  I 
have  had  much  happiness  in  lost  connections ;  and  that  they 
must  expect  to  lose  beloved  objects  in  this  world,  who  have 
beloved  objects  to  lose.  My  life,  I  know,  has  been  fortunate 
and  happy  beyond  the  common  lot,  and  it  would  be  now  un 
grateful,  as  well  as  unavailing,  to  repine  at  calamities  of  which, 
as  they  are  human,  I  must  expect  to  partake.  But  I  confess 
the  world,  at  present,  has  for  me  an  aspect  any  thing  but  cheer 
ful.  With  a  multitude  of  acquaintance,  I  have  few  friends ;  my 
nearest  intimacies  are  broken,  and  a  sad  void  is  made  in  the 
objects  of  affection.  Of  what  remains  dear  and  valuable,  I  need 
not  say  that  a  most  precious  part  is  the  affectionate  friendship 
of  yourself  and  family.  I  want  to  see  you  very  much  indeed, 
but  know  not  whether  I  shall  be  able  soon  to  visit  Portsmouth. 
You  will  be  glad  to  know  that  my  own  health  is  good.  I  havt 
never,  for  ten  years,  got  through  a  winter  without  being  more 
reduced  in  health  and  strength.  My  children  also  are  well. 
Edward  is  at  Boscawen,  where  he  will  probably  stay  through 
the  summer,  or  as  long  as  the  family  may  be  kept  together 
there.  Daniel  hopes  to  go  to  college  in  August.  Julia  proposes 
to  pass  the  summer,  or  part  of  it,  with  Mrs.  Lee,  and  must  after 
wards  be  disposed  of  as  best  she  may. 

This  occurrence  is  calculated  to  have  effect  on  the  future 
course  of  my  own  life,  and  to  add  to  the  inducements,  already 
felt,  to  retire  from  a  situation  in  which  I  am  making  daily 
sacrifices  and  doing  little  good  to  myself  or  others.  Pray  give 
my  love  to  your  family. 

Yours  affectionately  and  entirely, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


478  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    M'GAW    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Bangor,  May  1,  1829. 

DEAR  SIR, — There  are  seasons,  that  sooner  or  later  present 
themselves  to  us,  which  are  too  sacred  to  admit  the  presence  of 
even  dear  friends.  But  these  seasons  are  hallowed  by  the 
knowledge  that  the  same  friends  share  our  griefs  or  our  joys 
with  us.  My  own  experience  leads  to  the  conclusion  that 
others  possess  these  feelings  in  common  with  me. 

How  to  approach  the  subject,  with  which  my  heart  is  full, 
and  yours  is  overflowing,  I  do  not  know. 

Bereavement  of  friends  who  were  dear  to  you  is  not  a  new 
event,  though  the  arrows  of  affliction  have  not  fallen  thick  upon 
you,  that  I  know  of.  If,  however,  your  wounds  had  been  quite 
numerous,  few,  very  few  of  them  could  have  been  so  severe  as 
the  one  recently  received. 

A  State  has  lost  one  of  her  most  highly  valued  citizens,  and 
the  bar  of  New  Hampshire  one  of  its  brightest  ornaments ;  but 
some  other  citizen  may  supply  his  place  to  the  State,  and  some 
other  lawyer  adorn  the  bar  of  which  he  was  the  pride.  Would 
to  God,  it  were  possible  that  another  brother,  possessing  equal 
excellence  and  equal  love  with  him  whom  you  have  lost,  could 
be  granted  you.  I  know  that  it  is  unavailing  to  utter  such  a 
wish,  but  it  is  a  privilege  to  mourn  in  such  cases. 

The  friends  of  my  youth  are  pretty  fast  dropping  off,  and  leav 
ing  me  with  few,  and  that  number  constantly  diminishing,  who 
are  really  dear  to  me ;  and  though  my  heart  clings  close  to 
those  friends  who  remain,  yet  on  the  whole  my  desire  of  living 
becomes  weaker  and  weaker  every  year. 

Amid  the  vicissitudes  and  trials  of  life,  there  is  consolation 
in  the  assurance  that  though  no  chastening  for  the  present 
seemeth  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous,  nevertheless  afterward  it 
yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness  unto  them  which 
are  exercised  thereby. 

That  every  dispensation  of  Divine  Providence  may  bring  you 
to  the  enjoyment  of  more  of  the  smiles  of  our  blessed  Saviour, 
is  the  earnest  prayer  of, 

Your  friend, 

JACOB  McG^w. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  479 


[Mr.  Webster,  in  connection  with  some  other  gentlemen,  was  interested  in 
some  wild  land  in  the  northern  part  of  New  Hampshire. 

He  paid  little  attention  to  the  matter,  apparently,  and  the  occupier  of  the 
town  of  Dixville  addressed  him  a  remonstrance  on  the  subject  of  the  place,  and 
its  means  of  communication  and  transport,  which,  as  it  represents  a  not  very 
nourishing  state  of  things,  in  a  good-natured  style  of  reproach,  I  have  thought 
might  not  be  without  amusement  in  its  perusal.] 


MR.    WHITTEMORE    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Dixville,  June  22,  1829. 

SIR, — The  inhabitants  of  this  town  are  now  reduced  to  two ; 
my  children  are  all  gone  but  my  youngest  daughter,  and  if  there 
is  no  better  prospect  we  must  quit  before  winter.  The  roads 
are  so  bad  there  is  but  little  travel.  Last  year  the  bridges  were 
all  carried  off,  and  two  large  slides  came  down  in  the  Notch. 
We  did  seventy  days'  work  on  the  road  before  teams  could 
pass ;  Mr.  Parsons  and  others  worked  about  twenty  more ;  the 
prospect  was  so  bad  that  my  sons  were  determined  not  to 
winter  here  again.  Mr.  Gerrish  told  me  the  last  time  I  saw  him, 
that  you  and  he  had  agreed  not  to  sell  any  single  lots,  nor  do 
any  thing  on  the  road.  Now,  Sir,  if  this  is  right,  I  ought  not 
to  complain,  but  I  must  hear  some  other  reasons  for  its  being 
just,  before  I  can  believe  it.  We  have  done  at  least  five  hun 
dred  days'  work  on  the  road,  and  the  proprietors  have  done 
nothing.  I  am  no  beggar ;  all  I  ask  is  justice  amongst  men. 
Your  much  lamented  brother  told  me  that  Daniel  would  be  will 
ing  to  lay  out  a  hundred  or  two  dollars  on  the  road,  if  that 
would  satisfy  me,  but  that  you  considered  such  sum  only  as 
an  entering  wedge  for  a  larger  sum ;  but  I  am  not  lawyer 
enough  to  see  the  propriety  of  such  argument.  Besides,  two 
hundred  dollars,  well  laid  out,  with  what  the  people  would  do, 
provided  that  sum  was  promised  to  be  paid  those  that  should 
do  the  work,  when  done,  under  the  superintendence  of  some 
good  man  that  feels  an  interest  in  the  road,  would  make  it 
tolerable  good,  so  that  the  reverse  of  curses  would  rest  on  the 
proprietors'  heads.  You  can  guess  pretty  near  what  men  say, 
when  they  get  their  horses  off  the  Notch,  and  have  them  lay  in 
the  gulf  two  or  three  days,  which  has  several  times  been  the 


480  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

case.  I  think  it  would  be  for  your  interest  to  sell  the  land  by 
lots  to  settlers,  and  I  should  like  good  neighbors  very  much. 
Now,  Sir,  if  you  will  assist  in  repairing  the  road,  you  will  let 
me  know  how  and  when.  General  Town  from  Charlton  has 
been  here ;  if  you  see  him,  he  can  tell  you  my  situation  and  that 
of  the  road. 

I  am  your  long  neglected  and  very  humble  servant, 

JOHN  WHITTEMORE. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MRS.    LANGDON    ELWYN. 

Boston,  September  8,  1829. 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  LANGDON  ELWYN, — I  have  been  long  your 
debtor  for  two  kind  letters,  received  by  me  early  in  the  season. 
I  know  not  how  to  account  for,  much  less  excuse,  so  long  a 
delay.  But  the  summer  has  been  running  away,  and  occur 
rences  happening  which  occupied  my  attention  from  week  to 
week.  My  brother's  death  was  an  unexpected  stroke,  and  has 
devolved  on  me,  in  addition  to  the  pain  arising  from  the  loss  of 
so  good  a  brother,  many  new  cares  and  duties.  I  have  lived  to 
be  the  last  of  a  pretty  large  circle  of  brothers  and  sisters.  It 
not  only  fills  me  with  wonder,  but  with  melancholy,  to  look 
round  about  the  places  of  my  early  acquaintance.  Every  body 
is  gone.  While  my  brother  lived,  there  was  yet  something  to 
hold  to ;  but  now,  the  last  attraction  is  gone.  There  was  a 
large,  valuable,  and  most  pleasant  farm  which  belonged  to  UB, 
and  which  he  had  taken  exceUent  care  of  for  years,  but  it 
causes  me  great  pain  now  to  visit  it.  A  new  generation  has 
sprung  up  around  it,  and  I  see  nothing  interesting  to  me  but 
the  tombs  of  my  parents,  and  my  brothers  and  sisters. 

I  have  been  from  home  but  once,  except  to  New  Hampshire. 
Julia  and  I  went  to  Brattleboro'  in  July,  and  intended  to  visit 
Lake  George.  I  proceeded  to  Albany  where  I  was  to  be  joined 
by  Mr.  Hunt's  family,  of  Brattleboro',  and  Julia,  but  Mrs.  Hunt 
was  taken  sick,  so  that  part  of  the  journey  failed,  and  I  returned 
to  Brattleboro'  and  thence  home.  I  got  home  just  in  season  to 
see  your  neighbor  and  my  Mend in  the  stage-coach,  pass 
ing  out  of  town  on  her  return  home.  If  all  Boston  talk  be 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  481 

true,  it  is  possible  we  may  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  her 
again  in  this  quarter.  Some  people's  hearts,  it  seems,  are  not 
so  cold  as  their  occupations. 

We  have  had  sundry  and  divers  good  citizens  of  the  South 
among  us  in  the  course  of  August;  among  others  your  neighbor, 
Mr.  Biddle,  was  here  just  long  enough  to  let  us  look  at  him. 
He  is  always  most  welcome,  as  he  is  always  most  agreeable ; 
but,  if  instead  of  cashiers  an'd  other  officials,  he  would  bring 
fellow  travellers  of  another  kind  with  him,  it  would  enhance 
our  pleasure.  Our  Yankees  have  a  great  opinion  of  him. 
They  think  he  takes  good  care  of  their  money ;  although  they 
do  not  see  in  him  any  of  the  marks  of  one  of  the  children  of 
Israel.  He  will  have  told  you,  that  he  had  occasion  to  visit  our 
town  of  Portsmouth.  Mr.  Mason  was  recently  here,  and  ex 
pressed  high  satisfaction  at  the  result  of  Mr.  Biddle's  visit,  and 
much  respect  for  him. 

Of  news  in  our  circle,  I  dare  say  your  daughters  know  more 
than  I  do.  All  that  has  come  to  my  knowledge  is,  that  Mr. 
Charles  Adams  and  Miss  Brooks  are  married,  and  saw  their 
friends  last  evening ;  and  that  Mr.  Gorham  is  engaged  to  Mrs. 
Coles.  The  latter  fact  I  learn  from  Mr.  Gorham  himself,  and 
the  former  I  infer  from  having  received  a  legal  portion  of  wed 
ding  cake. 

I  send  you  a  copy  of  Mr.  Sprague's  poem,  which  I  did  not 
hear,  and  have  not  read  ;  but  I  subscribed  for  six  copies,  being 
told  it  was  a  poetical  poem.  I  have  seen  no  such  production 
among  us,  lately,  though  I  have  met  with  several  prose  ones. 
Judge  Story  edified  us  with  a  good  discourse,  on  his  inaugura 
tion  as  professor. 

What  shall  I  say  of  your  friend  Mr.  Blake  ?  He  has  been 
very  gay  and  gallant  through  the  season  of  company,  and  is  in 
fine  health  and  spirits.  I  know  not  if  he  intends  becoming  a 
relative  of  yours,  but  I  believe  that  when  he  goes  out  for  a 
drive,  if  no  special  order  be  given,  the  coachman  sets  off,  as  of 
course,  for  Mrs.  Eustis's. 

I  hear  with  much  regret  of  the  illness  of  Mrs.  R.,  under 
standing  she  is  in  Portsmouth.  I  hope  she  will  find  an  atmo 
sphere  somewhat  less  damp  than  that  of  New  York,  favorable  to 
her.  We  saw  little  of  Charles  while  he  was  here,  everybody 
was  engaged.  I  sought  him  diligently,  to  have  his  company  at 
VOL.  i.  41 


482  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

dinner  with  Mr.  Biddle,  but  he  had  gone  to  carouse  with  the 
Phi  Beta  Kappa. 

I  pray  you  make  my  best  respects  to  Emily  and  ]yiatilda. 
For  all  I  have  heard  of  them  lately,  I  am  mainly  indebted  to 

Mr.  Wallenstein,  whom  also  I  salute.     Say  to I  have  still 

in  my  eye  the  parting  but  reproachful  shake  of  her  finger 
through  the  coach  window.  She  cannot  say,  I  did  it,  "  never 
shake,"  &c. 

Yours  always,  very  truly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    FLETCHER    WEBSTER. 

New  York,  December  14,  1829. 

MY  DEAR  SON, — You  have  been  informed  that  an  important 
change  in  my  domestic  condition  was  expected  to  take  place. 
It  happened  on  Saturday.  The  lady  who  is  now  to  bear  the 
relation  of  mother  to  you,  and  Julia,  and  Edward,  I  am  sure 
will  be  found  worthy  of  all  your  affection  and  regard ;  and  I  am 
equally  certain  that  she  will  experience  from  all  of  you  the 
utmost  kindness  and  attachment.  She  insists  on  taking  Julia 
with  us  to  Washington,  thinking  it  will  be  better  for  her,  and 
that  she  will  also  be  good  company. 

We  shall  leave  New  York  in  about  a  week.  I  read  your  first 
letter,  which  gave  me  pleasure,  and  hope  to  have  another  from 
you  before  I  leave  New  York.  You  will  not  fail  to  write  me 
once  a  week,  according  to  arrangement.  The  enclosed  note 
you  will  of  course  answer.  If  you  despatch  your  answer  at 
once,  without  waiting  for  the  keepsake,  it  will  arrive  here  before 
our  departure.  Let  it  come  enclosed  to  me.  The  "  keepsake  " 
is  an  elegant  gold  watch.  You  must  send  for  it  to  Mr.  Paige, 
by  a  careful  hand.  Mr.  Paige  will  not  be  home  under  ten  days 
from  this  time. 

I  hope,  my  dear  son,  that  I  shall  continue  to  hear  good 
accounts  of  you. 

I  am  always,  with  much  affection,  your  father, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  483 

« 

MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    BUTTON. 

(EXTRACT.) 

Washington,  January  15,  1830. 

As  to  Washington  occurrences  I  hardly  know  whether  there 
be  any  thing  of  novelty.  We  have  a  plentiful  parcel  of  persons 
here,  many  of  them  from  Massachusetts,  who  having  received 
commissions  from  the  President  since  March,  find  it  necessary 
to  take  care  that  they  do  not  lose  them.  The  great  batch  of 
appointments  is  not  yet  acted  on  in  the  Senate.  Before  partic 
ular  cases  shall  be  taken  up,  it  is  probable  a  general  discussion 
will  be  had  in  open  or  secret  session  upon  the  course  of  the 
administration  in  regard  to  removals  and  appointments.  I 
never  did  intend  to  trouble  myself  with  another  debate,  on  such 
questions,  being  as  tired  of  them  as  I  am  of  constitutional  ques 
tions  in  the  courts  ;  but  if  I  could  see  clearly  what  was  the  true 
ground,  I  fear  I  might  break  my  resolution.  The  power  of  re 
moval,  as  a  distinct  power,  and  as  residing  in  the  President 
alone,  has  been  often  exercised ;  but  I  confess  I  doubt  its  exist 
ence.  It  seems  to  me  to  be  only  incident  to  the  power  of 
appointment,  and  to  belong  therefore  where  that  power  belongs, 
that  is  to  say,  to  the  President  and  Senate.  Pray,  while  you 
are  making  one  turn  in  the  Mall,  give  this  subject  one  turn  also 
in  your  thoughts. 

The  tariff  sleepeth.  It  may  be  jogged  a  little  during  the  ses 
sion,  but  I  think  not  awakened.  Let  them  go  on  to  spin  at 
Lowell,  with  the  persuasion  that  if  their  condition  be  not  made 
better,  it  will  still  not  be  made  worse.  I  think  the  duties  on 
tea  and  coffee  will  be  reduced;  and  that  then  reduction  will 
stop.  The  general  face  of  things  appears  here,  I  presume,  much 
as  it  does  with  you.  Mr.  Van  Buren  has  evidently,  at  this  mo 
ment,  quite  the  lead  in  influence  and  importance.  He  controls 
all  the  pages  on  the  back  stairs,  and  flatters  what  seems  to  be 
at  present  the  Aaron's  serpent  among  the  President's  desires,  a 
settled  purpose  of  making  out  the  lady,  of  whom  so  much  has 
been  said,  a  person  of  reputation.  It  is  odd  enough,  but  too 
evident  to  be  doubted,  that  the  consequence  of  this  dispute  in 
the  social  and  fashionable  world,  is  producing  great  political 
effects,  and  may  very  probably  determine  who  shall  be  successor 
to  the  present  chief  magistrate.  "  Such  great  events,  &c.  &c.  &c," 


484  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

Our  good  chief  justice  has  not  yet  arrived,  but  is  expected 
this  evening,  the  convention  at  Richmond  having  agreed  on  a 
constitution,  by  a  majority  of  ten,  as  the  report  is  this  morning. 
The  court  meantime  is  proceeding  diligently  with  its  docket  of 
causes.  Judge  Story  is  well  and  in  good  spirits.  The  weather 
to-day  is  like  May.  Neither  House  sits.  My  wife  is  gone  to  the 
Capitol,  House  of  Representatives,  to  hear  Mr.  Everett's  address 
to  the  Columbia  Institute.  Julia  is  at  her  writing  master's,  and 
while  a  gentleman  is  occupying  the  attention  of  the  court  with 
the  reading  of  a  shocking  long  record,  I  have  found  time  to 
write  you  a  shocking  long  letter,  which  an  apology  would  but 
further  protract. 

Yours  always, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    B.    WEBSTER. 

January  17,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  SISTER, — I  have  not  heard  from  you  since  I  left 
Boston,  until  this  day,  when  I  received  a  letter  from  C.  B.  Had 
dock.  He  informs  me  you  are  at  Concord,  where  your  mother 
is  dangerously  ill.  I  grieve  for  this  new  calamity.  Providence 
has  seen  fit  to  let  your  sorrows  and  misfortunes  come  together. 
Be  assured  no  one  can  feel  for  you  more  sympathy  than  myself, 
who  know  how  much  you  have  suffered  for  those  dear  to  me. 
Your  mother,  however,  has  arrived  at  good  old  age,  and  her 
departure  from  this  to  a  better  state,  would  not  and  ought  not 
to  be  so  violent  a  disruption  of  strong  ties  as  some  that  you 
have  felt. 

I  parted  with  you,  I  think,  the  first  day  of  October,  not  at  all 
foreseeing  what  was  to  happen  to  myself  in  so  short  a  time.  I 
am  now  here,  settled  down  for  the  session,  with  Mrs.  Webster 
and  Julia.  When  I  left  home,  I  did  not  expect  to  bring  Julia 
further  than  New  York.  She  was  to  have  returned  with  Mr. 
Paige ;  but  Mrs.  Webster  chose  to  have  it  otherwise,  and  I  be 
lieve  it  is  much  better  as  it  is.  Julia  seems  exceedingly  happy. 
Her  health  is  better  than  I  ever  saw  it,  and  she  is  much  attached 
to  her  new  mother.  With  this  last  personage,  I  am  sure  you 
will  be  pleased.  You  will  find  her  amiable,  affectionate,  pru- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  485 

dent,  and  agreeable ;  as  these  are  good  sober  words,  you  must 
take  them  as  used  for  what  they  ought  to  mean,  and  not  as  the 
rhapsody  of  a  new  husband.  It  will  not  be  many  months,  how 
ever,  I  hope,  before  I  shall  bring  her  and  yourself  face  to  face, 
and  then  you  can  judge  for  yourself. 

I  hope  you  will  write  to  me,  and  let  me  know  how  and  where 
the  children  are.  Send  them  my  love,  and  remember  me  to 
Mrs.  French. 

I  am,  my  dear  sister,  with  unabated  affection  and  regard,  yours 
truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.  WEBSTER    TO    MR.    HADDOCK. 

Washington,  January  19,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  NEPHEW, — If  Messrs.  Perkins  and  Marvin  choose 
to  run  the  risk  of  such  a  publication  as  you  mention,  I  do  not 
know  as  I  can  reasonably  object  to  it;  though,  sure  enough,  I 
shall  be  ashamed  to  see  the  likeness  of  my  face  in  the  shop  win 
dows,  as  I  go  from  my  house  to  Court  street. 

As  to  any  introductory  notice,  or  family  memoir,  I  shall  leave 
that  to  your  own  good  taste,  with  the  reservation  that  I  must- 
see  whatever  is  prepared  before  it  is  published.  I  hardly  know 
what  there  is,  not  already  known  as  mine,  which  it  would  be  worth 
while  to  print.  There  are,  however,  some  reviews,  and  an  ad 
dress  to  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa,  in  1806,  which  for  a  boy  I  thought 
pretty  good ;  but  I  have  not  read  it  since  it  was  delivered.  I 
remember,  among  other  things  in  it,  I  urged  the  necessity  of 
forming  agricultural  and  historical  societies,  when  there  were 
no  such  things  in  the  State. 

Joshua  Coffin  has  looked  up  some  genealogical  dates,  &c., 
as  you  will  see  by  the  enclosed  letter,  which  you  will  please 
preserve.  Major  Bohonon  sent  me  a  minute  of  some  dates,  which 
might  help  you,  in  regard  to  the  gravestones,  but  I  left  them  in 
Boston.  I  think  the  best  way  is  to  send  to  Mr.  Farley  what 
ever  is  ready,  and  let  him  go  on  with  that. 

I  am  glad  you  are  going  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  settlement 
of  affairs  at  Boscawen.  The  faster  things  are  adjusted  the  bet 
ter.  As  to  the  farm,  I  would  have  you,  of  course,  consider  what 
41* 


486  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

will  be  best  for  your  wards.  It  is  not  essential  to  sell  before  my 
return.  I  will  buy,  rather  than  suffer  it  to  remain  as  it  is,  if  it  be 
thought  best  by  you  to  sell  it  for  what  I  can  afford  to  give.  I 
have  no  doubt  what  is  for  the  children's  interest,  my  only  hesi 
tation  is,  as  to  what  I  can  afford  to  do  myself.  The  whole  farm 
would  yield  very  little  income  to  me,  and  yet  I  feel  unwilling  to 
sell  it  altogether ;  I  wish  you  were  rich  enough  to  own  it.  Let 
me  hear  from  you  when  you  get  your  letter  of  guardianship,  and 
as  much  sooner  as  you  find  it  convenient. 

I  am  affectionately  yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


CHANCELLOR    KENT    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

New  York,  January  21,  1830. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  ought  to  have  replied  earlier  to  your  letter  of 
the  15th  instant ;  but  I  have  been  diverted  by  a  number  of  per 
plexing  avocations,  each  of  them,  singly,  petty  in  its  nature  ;  but 
conjointly  such  things  make  up  the  sum  of  the  life  of  ordinary 
minds.  And  now  to  the  purpose.  I  beg  leave  to  decline  any 
opinion  on  the  question  you  state.  1.  I  have  not  time  to  do  it 
justice  and  render  any  thing  I  could  say  worthy  of  you.  2.  I 
am  not  going  to  undertake  to  instruct  a  Senatorial  statesman, 
who  has  thought  on  the  subject  infinitely  more  than  I  have,  for 
it  comes  officially  before  him. 

Hamilton,  in  The  Federalist,  No.  77,  was  of  opinion  that  the 
President  could  not  remove  without  the  consent  of  the  Senate. 
I  heard  the  question  debated  in  the  summer  of  1789,  and  Madi 
son,  Benson,  Ames,  Lawrence,  &c.,  were  in  favor  of  the  right 
of  removal  by  the  President,  and  such  has  been  the  opinion 
ever  since,  and  the  practice.  I  thought  they  were  right, 
because  I  then  thought  this  side  uniformly  right.  Mr.  White 
of  Virginia,  was  strenuously  opposed  to  that  construction.  You 
will  find  the  discussion  in  Fenno's  United  States  Gazeteer  for 
July  or  August,  or  September,  1789.  Mr.  Madison  reasoned 
technically  like  a  lawyer.  Now,  when  I  come  to  think  on  the 
subject,  with  my  confirmed  wary  views  of  things,  I  pause  and 
doubt  of  the  construction,  on  account  of  the  word  "  advice." 
That  word  is  pregnant  with  meaning,  and  means  something 


DAXIEL   WEBSTER.  487 

beyond  consent  to  nominations,  or  it  would  not  have  been  in 
serted.  The  consent,  so  it  might  be  argued,  applies  to  the 
individual  named  ;  the  advice  to  the  measure  itself,  which 
draws  to  it  the  whole  ground  of  the  interference.  Again,  it  is  a 
great  and  general  principle,  in  all  jurisprudence,  that  when  there 
is  no  positive  provision  in  the  case  regulating  the  principle,  the 
power  that  appoints  is  the  power  to  determine  the  pleasure  of 
the  appointment  and  the  limitation.  It  is  the  power  to  reap- 
point  ;  and  the  power  to  appoint  and  reappoint,  when  all  else  is 
silent,  is  the  power  to  remove.  I  begin  to  have  a  strong  sus 
picion  that  Hamilton  was  right,  as  he  always  was  on  public 
questions. 

On  the  other  hand  it  is  too  late  to  call  the  President's  power  in 
question,  after  a  declaratory  act  of  Congress  and  an  acquiescence 
of  half  a  century.  We  should  hurt  the  reputation  of  our  gov 
ernment  with  the  world,  and  we  are  accused  already  of  the 
Republican  tendency  of  reducing  all  executive  power  into  the 
legislative,  and  making  Congress  a  national  convention.  That 
the  President  grossly  abuses  the  power  of  removal  is  man 
ifest,  but  it  is  the  evil  genius  of  Democracy  to  be  the  sport  of 
factions.  Hamilton  said  in  The  Federalist,  in  his  speeches,  and  a 
hundred  times  to  me,  that  factions  would  ruin  us,  and  our  gov 
ernment  had  not  sufficient  balance  and  energy  to  resist  the  pro 
pensity  to  them,  and  to  control  their  tyranny  and  their  profligacy. 
All  theories  of  government  that  suppose  the  mass  of  the  people 
virtuous,  and  able  and  willing  to  act  virtuously,  are  plainly 
Utopian,  and  will  remain  so  until  the  return  of  the  Saturnian 
age. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

JAMES  KENT. 

P.  S.  I  never  heard  of  any  such  book  written  by  Mr.  Wells, 
and  I  don't  believe  he  ever  wrote  any  such. 


488  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

Washington,  February  27,  1830. 

DEAR  SIR, — The  press  has  sent  abroad  all  I  said  in  the  late 
debate,  and  you  will  have  seen  it.  I  have  paid  what  attention 
I  could  to  the  reporter's  notes ;  but,  in  the  midst  of  other  press 
ing  engagements,  I  have  not  made  either  speech  what  it  ought 
to  be ;  but  let  them  go.  The  whole  matter  was  quite  unex 
pected.  I  was  busy  'with  the  court,  and  paying  no  attention  to 
the  debate  which  was  going  on  sluggishly  in  the  Senate,  with 
out  exciting  any  interest.  Happening  to  have  nothing  to  do  for 
the  moment,  in  court,  I  went  into  the  Senate,  and  Mr.  Hayne, 
so  it  turned  out,  just  then  rose.  When  he  sat  down,  my  friends 
said  he  must  be  answered,  and  I  thought  so  too,  and  being  thus 
got  in,  thought  I  must  go  through.  It  is  singular  enough,  though 
perhaps  not  unaccountable,  that  the  feeling  of  this  little  public 
is  all  on  our  side.  I  may  say  to  you  that  I  never  before  spoke 
in  the  hearing  of  an  audience  so  excited,  so  eager,  and  so  sym 
pathetic. 

The  appointments  are  not  yet  acted  on,  though  I  am  expect 
ing  them  to  be  taken  up  daily.  Hill's  chance  is  just  about  even. 
It  depends  on  a  single  vote,  or  two  at  most,  and  they  keep  their 
own  counsels,  so  that  we  shall  never  know  till  the  time  of  voting 
comes.  Decatur's  chance  is  not  equal.  I  think  he  will  be 
rejected.  I  have  some  hopes  that  all  the  printers  will  be  thrown 
out ;  but  there  is  no  certainty  about  it.  Calhoun  is  forming  a 
party  against  Van  Buren,  and  as  the  President  is  supposed 
to  be  Van  Buren's  man,  the  Vice- President  has  great  difficulty 
to  separate  his  opposition  to  Van  Buren  from  opposition  to  the 
President.  Our  idea  is  to  let  them  pretty  much  alone ;  by  no 
means  to  act  a  secondary  part  to  either.  We  never  can  and 
never  must  support  either. 

While  they  are  thus  arranging  themselves  for  battle,  that  is, 
Calhoun  and  Van  Buren,  there  are  two  considerations  which  are 
likely  to  be  overlooked,  or  disregarded  by  them,  and  which  are 
material  to  be  considered.  1.  The  probability  that  General 
Jackson  will  run  again ;  that  that  is  his  present  purpose,  I  am 
quite  sure.  2.  The  extraordinary  power  of  this  anti- Masonic 
party,  especially  in  Pennsylvania. 


DAXIEL  WEBSTER.  489 

Judge  Story  has  been  ill,  so  as  to  be  out  of  court  for  three  or 
four  days.  He  is  now  well  again.  Mr.  Justice  Baldwin  is 
thought  to  give  promise  of  being  a  very  good  judge.  The  other 
new  judge,  I  fear,  has  his  head  turned  too  much  to  politics. 

I  have  been  written  to,  to  go  to  New  Hampshire  to  try  a  cause 
against  you  next  August,  brought  by  Mrs.  Mellen  v.  Dover 
Company.  Where  is  the  August  court  holden  ?  I  suppose  up  at 
the  Lakes.  If  it  were  an  easy  and  plain  case  on  our  side,  I 
might  be  willing  to  go ;  but  I  have  some  of  your  pounding  in 
my  bones  yet,  and  don't  care  about  any  more  till  that  wears 
out. 

Yours  ever  truly,  with  regards  to  your  family, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    A.    LAWRENCE    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  March  3,  1830. 

DEAR  SIR, — Permit  me  to  indulge  my  feelings,  after  the 
banquet  I  have  just  had  in  reading  your  speech,  by  expressing 
to  you  my  grateful  sense  of  obligation,  for  the  favor  conferred 
on  me,  in  common  with  every  other  son  of  New  England,  for 
your  triumphant  vindication  of  her  character  from  the  foul 
aspersions  cast  upon  it  by  the  South ;  and  to  assure  you  that 
my  sense  of  the  value  and  importance  of  this  service,  will  only 
cease  with  the  healthy  exercise  of  my  mind.  I  thank  you  as  a 
citizen  of  Massachusetts,  of  New  England,  of  the  United  States, 
not  only  for  myself,  but  for  my  children.  The  vindication  of 
New  England  is  not  more  complete  than  is  that  of  the  Constitu 
tion  of  the  United  States,  from  the  libels  which  these  same 
citizens  of  the  South  would  fasten  upon  it.  The  doctrines  you 
have  laid  down  are  sound  doctrines,  and  stated  so  plainly  that 
all  may  understand  them,  and  they  will  prove  a  safe  political 
manual  for  our  children  after  us. 

Again  I  thank  you.  This  humble  tribute  I  pray  you  to 
accept  with  the  assurance  that  I  offer  it,  not  less  to  gratify  my 
own  feelings,  than  from  a  sense  of  obligation  for  a  great  favor 
received  by  your  unfeigned  friend, 

AMOS  LAWRENCE. 


490  PKIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    HADDOCK. 

Washington,  March  4,  1830. 

DEAR  CHARLES, — I  received  duly  yours  of  the  17th  of  Febru 
ary.  Affairs  at  Salisbury  may  as  well  remain  as  they  are,  till  I 
get  home.  We  will  then  endeavor  to  meet  in  that  region,  and 
settle  some  arrangements.  I  am  glad  that  Mrs.  Webster  and  the 
children  are  with  you,  and  pray  you  to  remember  me  to  them. 
We  ourselves  are  all  well. 

As  to  my  "  Works,"  if  a  book  is  to  be  made,  I  should  think 
the  following  might  be  selected : — 

1.  Plymouth  Discourse ;  I  think  this  the  best  of  my  efforts. 
2.  Bunker  Hill.  3.  Adams  and  Jefferson.  4.  Greek  Speech. 
5.  Tariff  Speech  of  1824.  6.  Panama  Mission.  7.  Bank 
Speech.  8.  Currency  Speech,  1816,  which  I  have  caused  to  be 
copied  and  now  send ;  but  I  have  not  read  a  word  of  it  since  it 
was  delivered.  Dinner  Speeches,  Boston.  Faneuil  Hall,  Elec 
tion  Speeches.  Two  Speeches  of  this  Session.  Speech, — 
Revolutionary  Officers ;  there  are  two  of  this  description,  pretty 
much  alike.  I  do  not  know  which  is  best ;  but  one  of  them 
should  be  printed. 

If  any  law  speeches  be  printed,  I  think  the  following  the 
best : — 

Dartmouth  College  case,  Steamboat  case,  and  Prescott's 
defence  ;  but  I  have  never  read  this ;  I  have  quite  forgotten  it. 

You  speak  of  the  Dedham  speech ;  I  do  not  know  what  you 
refer  to.  I  defended  Judge  Haven  on  an  indictment,  growing 
out  of  an  ecclesiastical  dispute  at  Dedham  ;  but  the  speech  was 
never  published,  to  my  knowledge.  The  Address  to  the  Me 
chanics'  Association  might  be  rigged  up  and  put  in  for  variety. 
I  doubt  whether  there  is  any  thing  readable  in  what  I  said  in 
Convention.  Those  debates  might  be  looked  to.  I  doubt 
whether  it  will  be  worth  while  to  begin  the  work  till  I  get  home. 
A  good  deal  of  care  should  be  bestowed  upon  it ;  and  such  a 
publication  at  the  present  moment  will  have  so  many  bearings, 
that  it  must  be  well  considered  what  it  should  contain.  We 
can  have  no  family  memoir.  As  to  biographical  notices,  if  any, 
they  must  be  exceedingly  brief.  If,  however,  it  is  matter  of 
importance  to  the  printers  to  begin  earlier,  you  may  let  me 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  491 

know  it.  The  picture  is  by  Stewart ;  it  is  at  Mr.  I.  P.  Davis's. 
I  suppose  that  he  would  suffer  it  to  be  used  by  a  distinguished 
engraver,  if  it  were  thought  best  to  have  an  engraving.  If  I 
could  pick  up  what  I  said  year  before  last  to  your  boys  at 
Hanover,  and  what  I  said  last  year  to  those  of  Amherst,  they 
could  be  put  together  and  make  something  which  would  eke 
out  variety. 

With  regards  to  your  family, 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.     One  volume  would  be  enough  in  all  conscience. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PLEASANTS. 

[Draft  of  a  letter  found  in  Mr.  Webster's  handwriting.] 

( PRIVATE  AND  CONFIDENTIAL.) 

Washington,  March  6,  1830. 

DEAR  SIR, — Soon  after  I  had  posted  a  speech  to  you  this 
morning,  I  received  yours  of  the  4th  instant.  I  am  glad  you 
have  written  to  me  on  general  accounts ;  I  need  not  say  how 
much  I  am  gratified  to  learn  there  are  some  in  Virginia  who 
think  of  my  efforts  without  disrespect.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I 
have  sometimes  felt  that  while  political  foes  have  dealt  to  me 
in  your  good  State,  a  large  measure  of  abuse,  political  friends 
have  not  always  interposed  a  shield,  under  circumstances  when 
perhaps  it  might  have  been  expected  by  one  engaged  in  the 
same  general  public  cause.  But  I  have  no  hard  feeling  in  this 
respect.  I  knew  there  were  reasons  why  some  of  us  should  bear 
abuse,  without  expecting  to  be  defended.  That  time  I  hope 
has  gone  by ;  at  any  rate  I  should  not  hope  to  find  myself  in 
such  a  condition  again.  I  am  willing  to  correspond  with  you 
freely,  but  in  entire  and  sacred  confidence.  Through  life,  thus 
far,  I  have  been  as  much  guarded  as  possible  against  the  acci 
dents  of  the  post-office  and  other  accidents  attending  confidential 
correspondence.  Nevertheless,  the  times  require  occasional  con 
fidence,  and  that  some  hazards  be  run.  I  am  willing  therefore 


492  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

to  write  you  an  occasional  letter,  knowing  that  I  shall  be  safe, 
even  if  I  had  secrets  to  communicate,  which  will  not  often  be 
the  case.  I  shall  be  glad  also  to  hear  from  you  often.  You 
may  rely  on  confidence  on  my  side. 

At  present  there  is  not  much  to  be  said,  growing  out  of  the 
state  of  things  here.  The  most  objectional  nominations  have 
not  yet  been  acted  on.  It  is  quite  uncertain  how  they  will 
be  disposed  of.  The  Senate  will  be  so  nearly  equally  divided, 
that  a  vote  or  two  will  decide  sundry  nominations,  and  no  one 
can  say  how  these  votes  may  be  given.  There  will  be  close 
voting  certainly  in  several  cases.  I  agree  with  you,  it  is  a 
balanced  question,  whether  more  good  will  flow  from  the  rejec 
tion  than  from  the  confirmation.  It  would  disappoint  individu 
als,  doubtless ;  but  would  it  not,  on  the  whole,  rather  strengthen 
the  administration  to  send  Hill,  Kendall,  &c.  home  ?  As  to 
future  operations,  the  general  idea  here  seems  to  be  this ;  to 
bring  forward  no  candidate  this  year,  though  doubtless  the 
general  impression  is  that  Mr.  Clay  stands  first  and  foremost  in 
the  ranks  of  those  who  would  desire  a  change.  I  do  not  think 
there  is  the  least  abatement  of  the  respect  and  confidence  enter 
tained  for  him.  As  to  the  other  Western  gentleman  whom 
you  mention,  he  must  not  be  thought  of,  for  he  is  not  with  us. 
Depend  upon  it,  there  is  a  negotiation  in  train  to  bring  him  out 
as  Vice-President,  to  run  on  the  ticket  with  Mr.  Calhoun.  In  my 
opinion  he  has  very  little  weight  or  influence  in  the  country,  and 
that  is  fast  declining.  Our  friends  in  the  West  will  quit  him, 
of  course,  in  that  event,  as  he  must  give  up  .their  interests.  I 
write  now  to  say,  that  two  things  are  not  to  be  omitted  when 
we  speculate  on  the  future;  first,  that  General  Jackson  will 
certainly  be  candidate  again,  if  he  live  and  be  well ;  I  say  cer 
tainly,  I  mean  only  that  I  have  no  doubt  of  it.  Second,  that 
we  cannot  now  foresee  what  events  will  follow  from  what  is 
passing  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  on  the  subject  of  anti- 
Masonry  ;  this  matter,  be  assured,  is  not  to  be  disregarded. 

In  the  mean  time  it  seems  to  me  our  course  must  be  this. 
Expose  the  selfishness  and  pretence  of  the  men  in  power,  as 
much  as  possible ;  taking  care  to  let  the  ministers  be  made 
responsible  for  at  least  their  full  share.  The  acts  will  be  theirs 
in  most  cases ;  and  therefore  they  ought  to  be  responsible  for 
them  themselves. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  493 

Show  ourselves  uniform  and  just,  by  acting  according  to  our 
principles,  and  opposing  only  such  measures  as  deserve  no 
support. 

As  to  tariff  subjects,  we  of  the  North  must  hold  on  where  we 
are,  and  as  to  internal  improvements,  we  also  must  go  temper 
ately  and  cautiously  for  them  also. 

Agree  in  all  measures  having  in  view  the  payment  of  the 
debt. 

To  hold  ourselves  absolutely  aloof  from  Mr.  Van  Buren  and 
Mr.  Calhoun,  and  be  ready  to  act  for  ourselves  when  the  proper 
time  comes,  and  to  maintain  our  own  men  and  defend  our  own 
friends. 

Finally,  cultivate  a  truly  national  spirit ;  go  for  great  ends, 
and  hold  up  the  necessity  of  the  Union,  &c.  &c. 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    DUTTON. 

Washington,  March  8,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  thank  you  for  your  friendly  and  flattering 
letter.  Your  commendation  of  my  speech  is  measured  less  by 
its  merits  than  by  your  bounty.  If  it  has  gratified  my  friends 
at  home,  I  am  rewarded  for  any  little  trouble  it  has  cost  me. 
The  whole  debate  was  matter  of  accident.  I  had  left  the  court 
pretty  late  in  the  day,  and  went  into  the  Senate  with  my  court 
papers  under  my  arm,  just  to  see  what  was  passing.  It  so 
happened  that  Mr.  Hayne  very  soon  rose  in  his  first  speech.  I 
did  not  like  it,  and  my  friends  liked  it  less ;  some  of  them 
reminded  me,  that  some  years  ago  a  debate  had  happened  in 
the  House  of  Representatives,  in  which  Mr.  M'Duffie  and  myself 
had  expressed  opinions  exactly  the  reverse  of  what  was  now 
ascribed  respectively  to  the  South  and  East.  I  had  forgotten 
the  circumstance,  but  promised  to  turn  back  to  the  debates  to 
see  how  the  matter  was ;  I  did  so,  and  found  it  as  stated,  and 
referred  to  it.  This  was  one  of  the  things  that  excited  General 
Hayne  ;  he  found  his  narrow  policy  near  home.  Another  was 
an  allusion  made  by  me,  without  any  studied  respect,  I  acknowl- 
VOL.  i.  42 


494  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

edge,  to  their  Carolina  notions.  He  was  very  angry,  -and  when 
he  rose  to  oppose  a  day  or  two's  postponement,  as  I  wished  to 
be  in  the  court,  talked  perhaps  a  little  too  largely  of  what  he 
was  going  to  do.  One  thing  is  singular  enough,  and  I  can 
mention  it  to  you  without  danger  of  your  ascribing  the  remark 
to  any  wrong  cause.  I  never  spoke  in  the  presence  of  an  audi 
ence  so  eager  and  so  sympathetic.  The  public  feeling  here 
was  on  our  side  almost  universally.  This  is  partly  owing,  no 
doubt,  to  the  system  of  reform  which  has  been  brought  to 
bear  on  so  many  individuals  and  so  many  families  here.  In 
the  pamphlet  I  sent,  some  strange  errors  are  corrected.  In 
looking  over  the  printed  notes,  I  made  them  read,  in  one  place, 
"  There  is  no  such  thing  as  half  allegiance  and  half  rebellion ;  no 
treason  made  easy ! "  in  allusion  to  books,  you  know,  entitled 
"  geometry  made  easy ! "  "  logic  made  easy,"  &c.  The  printer 
put  it  "  treason  madcosy  ! "  Twice  I  corrected  the  proof,  and 
wrote,  as  I  thought,  plain  enough,  "  made  easy."  But  I  could 
not  make  it  easy,  and  so  it  has  gone  through  the  Union : 
"  Treason  madcosy ! "  Pray,  what  did  you  think  that  meant  ? 
Finally,  I  went  to  the  press  and  had  the  whole  sentence  struck 
out. 

Pray  give  my  best  regards  to  Mrs.  Dutton.  Mrs.  Webster 
reciprocates  your  and  her  good  wishes  with  all  her  heart.  She 
has  fully  made  up  her  mind,  she  says,  to  like  New  England,  and 
is  not  quite  certain,  moreover,  that  it  will  require  any  great 
effort.  I  believe  she  is  predestinated  to  be  a  good  New  Eng- 
lander.  Our  excellent  friend,  Judge  Story,  is  well  and  in  good 
spirits.  He  seems. to  like  his  new  associate,  Judge  Baldwin, 
quite  well.  D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    MASON    TO    MR.   WEBSTER. 

Portsmouth,  March  8,  1830. 

DEAR  SIR, — Not  being  on  good  terms  with  Mr.  A.,  and  not 
liking  to  write  him  on  the  subject  you  mention,  I  have  requested 
Robert  Means  to  make  the  desired  inquiries.  If  any  thing  can 
be  ascertained  from  him,  I  think  it  can  be  done  better  by  con 
versation  than  by  writing.  When  I  know  the  result,  I  will 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  495 

inform  you.  I  have  no  recollection  of  ever  writing  to  him  on 
the  subject  alluded  to.  I  have  read  your  last  speech  with  great 
delight ;  it  was  sent  me  in  pamphlet  form  from  Boston.  My 
expectation  was  highly  raised,  and  I  can  truly  say  it  has  been 
fully  satisfied.  Your  defence  of  New  England  is  all  that  could 
be  desired,  and  you  have  been  most  fortunate  in  effecting  it, 
without  polluting  your  own  hands  with  any  of  the  filth  that 
was  so  abundantly  collected  round  you.  But  the  constitutional 
argument  is  of  vastly  greater  importance.  I  have  read  that 
with  great  attention,  and  I  think  it  unanswerable.  If  I  mistake 
not,  it  cannot  fail  of  producing  a  sensible  effect  even  in  South 
Carolina.  If  Colonel  Hayne's  answer  is  received  as  the  true 
construction  of  the  Constitution,  our  government  is  at  an  end. 
The  sophistical  Virginia  resolutions  of  1798,  afford  the  only 
support  of  this  wild  doctrine.  Mr.  Madison,  by  adopting  your 
gloss  upon  his  resolutions,  might  atone  for  all  his  political  sins, 
and  confer  a  greater  benefit  on  his  country  than  he  has  done  by 
the  labor  of  a  long  life.  But  of  his  doing  this  I  fear  there  is  no 
hope. 

This  is  our  election  day.  Colonel  Upham  has  a  majority  of 
about  one  hundred  in  this  town;  I  do  not  know  the  exact 
number.  We  have  succeeded  in  choosing  five  anti-Jackson 
representatives.  Strong  hopes  are  entertained  of  an  anti-Jack 
son  House  of  Representatives.  This  is  important,  as  a  senator 
of  the  United  States  is  to  be  chosen.  Upham' s  chance  for 
governor  is  thought  to  be  tolerable.  The  forged  papers,  lately 
returned  by  Hill,  from  Washington,  have  done  much  for  him 
about  here.  If  they  have  been  as  efficient  in  other  parts  of  the 
State,  he  is  elected.  The  papers  were  lately  brought  here,  and 
pronounced  to  be  forgeries  by  all  who  saw  them,  except  I.  W. 
and  E.  W.  W.  is  supposed  to  have  the  promise  of  Decatur's 
place,  in  case  he  should  be  rejected  by  the  Senate. 

The  suit  of  Mrs.  Mellen  against  the  Dover  Manufacturing 
Company  must,  I  believe,  end  in  nothing.  If  there  be  any 
thing  to  argue  in  it,  it  must  be  a  mere  question  of  law,  which  I 
think  cannot  come  on  at  the  next  term,  which  is  to  be  held  at 
Gilford,  If  you  are  inclined  to  come  again  to  the  old  county 
of  Strafford  to  argue  a  cause,  you  had  best  be  engaged  for  the 
defendants,  who  are  able  and  will  be  willing,  if  the  case  raises 
any  question,  to  pay  you  good  fees.  The  plaintiff  has,  I  believe, 


496  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

spent  all  her  money  already.     I  think  you  had  best  not  engage 
before  I  see  you. 

Affectionately  yours, 

J.  MASON. 


MR.    MADISON    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Montpelier,  March  15,  1830. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  return  my  thanks  for  the  copy  of  your  late  very 
powerful  speech  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States.  It  crushes 
"  nullification,"  and  must  hasten  an  abandonment  of  secession. 
But  this  dodges  the  blow  by  confounding  the  claim  to  secede  at 
will,  with  the  right  of  seceding  from  intolerable  oppression. 

The  former  answers  itself,  being  a  violation  without  cause,  of 
a  faith  solemnly  pledged.  The  latter  is  another  name  only  for 
revolution,  about  which  there  is  no  theoretic  controversy.  Its 
double  aspect,  nevertheless,  with  the  countenance  received  from 
certain  quarters,  is  giving  it  a  popular  currency  here,  which  may 
influence  the  approaching  elections,  both  for  Congress  and  for 
the  State  legislatures.  It  has  gained  some  advantage  also  by 
mixing  itself  with  the  question,  whether  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  was  formed  by  the  people  or  by  the  States,  now 
under  a  theoretic  discussion  by  animated  partisans. 

It  is  fortunate  when  disputed  theories  can  be  decided  by 
undisputed  facts.  And  here  the  undisputed  fact  is  that  the 
Constitution  was  made  by  the  people,  but  as  embodied  into  the 
several  States  who  were  parties  to  it,  and  therefore  made  by  the 
States,  in  their  highest  authoritative  capacity. 

They  might  by  the  same  authority  and  by  the  same  process 
have  converted  the  confederacy  into  a  mere  league  or  treaty,  or 
continued  it  with  enlarged  or  abridged  powers;  or  have  em 
bodied  the  people  of  their  respective  States  into  one  people, 
nation,  or  sovereignty ;  or,  as  they  did  by  a  mixed  form,  make 
them  one  people,  nation,  or  sovereignty,  for  certain  purposes, 
and  not  so  for  others. 

The  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  being  established  by 
a  competent  authority,  by  that  of  the  people  of  the  several 
States,  who  were  the  parties  to  it,  it  remains  only  to  inquire 
what  the  Constitution  is,  and  here  it  speaks  for  itself.  It  organ- 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  497 

izes  a  government  into  the  usual  legislative,  executive,  and 
judiciary  departments ;  invests  it  with  specified  powers,  leaving 
others  to  the  parties  to  the  Constitution ;  it  makes  the  govern 
ment  to  operate  directly  on  the  people ;  places  at  its  command 
the  needful  physical  means  of  executing  its  powers ;  and  finally 
proclaims  its  supremacy,  and  that  of  the  laws  made  in  pursu 
ance  of  it,  over  the  Constitution  and  laws  of  the  States ; 
the  powers  of  the  government  being  exercised,  as  in  other 
elective  and  responsible  governments,  under  the  control  of  its 
constituents,  the  people  and  legislatures  of  the  States,  and  sub 
ject  to  the  revolutionary  rights  of  the  people,  in  extreme  cases. 

Such  is  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  de  jure  and  de 
facto ;  and  the  name,  whatever  it  be,  that  may  be  given  to  it, 
can  make  it  nothing  more  nor  less  than  what  it  actually  is. 

Pardon  this  hasty  effusion,  which,  whether  according  or  not 
precisely  with  your  ideas,  presents,  I  am  aware,  none  that  are 
new  to  you. 

With  great  esteem  and  cordial  salutation, 

JAMES  MADISON. 


MR.    SULLIVAN    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  March  23,  1830. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  have  not  done  justice  to  you  or  myself  in  not 
having  sooner  acknowledged  the  favor  conferred  by  you,  in  send 
ing  to  me  your  speeches  on  Mr.  Foote's  resolution.  The  delay 
enables  me  to  speak  confidently  of  public  opinion  on  your 
achievements ;  an  opinion  not  formed  under  sudden  impulses, 
but  with  good  judgment  and  full  means  of  using  it.  This 
opinion  appears  to  me  to  be,  that  your  speeches  on  this  occa 
sion  not  only  excel  all  former  ones,  made  by  you,  but  by  every 
other  man  in  our  own  country ;  and  that  out  of  it,  we  must  go 
back  to  the  days  of  Burke,  Chatham,  &c.  to  find  objects  of 
comparison.  This  is  the  opinion  of  the  club ;  and  some  of  its 
members,  you  know,  are  judges,  and  very  good  ones.  It  seems 
to  me,  that  the  most  valuable  quality  of  these  speeches  is:  that 
they  teach  the  citizens  in  general  what  their  relation  to  the 
Federal  government  is ;  and  in  a  manner  so  comprehensible 
and  satisfactory  that  every  one  not  only  assents,  but  is  sur- 
42* 


498  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

prised  that  the  doctrine  should  not  have  been  familiar  to  him, 
and  even  that  the  same  train  of  thought  should  not  have  oc 
curred  to  his  own  mind.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  your  friends  here 
to  be  able  to  infer,  from  the  effect  produced  in  different  parts  of 
the  Union,  that  an  individual,  even  without  the  aid  of  war,  and 
great  public  excitement,  can  raise  himself  to  an  elevation,  on 
which  he  may  be  viewed  from  all  parts  of  an  extensive  empire, 
with  an  honorable  national  pride.  This  is  something  to  set  off 
against  military  delusion. 

I  presume  we  have  here  as  you  have  in  Washington,  many 
groundless  assertions  and  items  of  news.  Of  late  the  rumors  have 
turned  on  new  coalitions ;  the  latest  is,  I  think,  to  this  effect ; 
that  Mr.  Van  Buren  and  yourself  have  come  to  an  understand 
ing,  but  whether  with  the  consent  and  approbation  of  Mr.  Clay, 
or  without  consulting  him,  rumor  seems  not  to  know. 

The  election  pending  here  is  of  considerable  importance ;  but 
I  do  not  find  that  any  influential  and  discreet  men  are  attempt 
ing  to  give  it  a  proper  direction.  The  representation  of  the 
county  in  the  Senate  is  of  much  importance  the  coming  year, 
on  account  of  the  valuation.  The  court  are  sitting,  and  will 
continue  to  sit  about  a  fortnight  longer.  They  have  a  great 
deal  to  do;  and  more  than  four  men  can  possibly  do.  The 
subjects  apart  from  home  politics  most  spoken  of  here,  are  the 
discouraging  state  of  things  in  England,  and  the  want  of  talent 
in  the  public  men  there ;  some  persons  intimating  that  great 
changes  must  soon  occur ;  and  the  continuance  of  similar  em 
barrassments  in  this  region.  I  do  not  hear  any  one  speak  of 
changes  for  the  better,  or  even  the  hope  of  them. 

As  to  mere  town  news,  Mr.  Thorndike  is  said  to  be  much 
indisposed.  Mr.  Ritchie  is  to  review  Jefferson's  works;  Alex. 
E.  is  said  to  have  become  proprietor  of  the  North  American 
Review.  Mr.  Otis  has  been  well  enough  to  dine  with  the 
"  Young  Fish  "  lately.  Mr.  Sears  and  family  are  coming  home 
in  the  spring.  My  own  family  are  well;  I  noticed  last  evening 
that  some  of  them  were  busy  in  making  extracts  from  the  poets, 
on  small  slips  of  paper,  to  be  deposited  in  the  cornucopia  of  the 
confectioners  for  future  use. 

It  is  a  cold  snowy  day,  the  wind  from  the  northeast ;  and 
one  of  those  days  in  which  one  must  plunge  into  business  or 
pleasure  within  doors,  to  escape  the  misery  of  feeling  what  is 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  499 

going  on  without.  An  excellent  day  it  might  be  made  around 
a  table,  with  six  or  eight  congenial  minds,  with  something  fit 
thereon  for  use.  Formerly,  when  the  wind  was  damp  and  east- 
wardly,  a  small  piece  of  salmon,  and  a  brant  apiece  for  six.  in 
a  snug  room,  with  something  liquid  that  could  tell  of  the  last 
century,  had  a  tendency  to  make  one  forget  which  way  the 
wind  was.  Whether  the  times  are  so  bad  that  the  like  effects 
would  not  follow  from  such  causes,  is  a  point  which  I  should  be 
willing  to  test  by  actual  experiment. 

I  beg  leave  to  tender  my  best  respects  to  Mrs.  Webster  ;  if  you 
should  know  when  the  ladies  of  Boston  may  expect  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  her  among  them,  and  should  tell  me  of  it,  I  should  be 
glad  to  be  the  medium  of  such  news. 

With  great  regard,  respect,  and  thankfulness  as  your  fellow- 
citizen,  your  obliged  friend, 

WM.  SULLIVAN. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    DAVIS. 

Washington  March  29,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  perceive  the  booksellers  are  threatening  to 
afflict  the  community  with  a  book,  made  up  of  my  Speeches. 
This  offence  is  one  for  which  they  are  answerable  only  to  the 
public,  and  to  their  own  pockets.  But  it  seems  further  intended 
that  I  shall  be  compelled  to  lend  my  countenance  to  the  under 
taking  ;  to  this  I  demur.  By  an  advertisement  which  happened 
to  catch  my  eye  in  the  National  Intelligencer  this  morning,  it 
would  seem  that  the  book  is  to  have  a  head  in  it  from  Stuart's 
picture.  This  is  without  my  consent ;  and  I  suppose  it  is  only 
said  subject  to  a  tacit  condition  that  such  consent  should  be 
first  had  and  obtained.  I  have  written  the  proposed  publishers 
on  the  subject.  The  object  of  this  is  merely  to  repeat  to  you 
the  substance  of  what  I  have  said  to  them.  If  they  insist,  first 
on  making  the  book,  which  I  suspect  they  had  better  not  do ; 
and,  secondly,  on  having  a  head  in  it,  which  I  do  not  at  all  de 
sire  they  should,  but  prefer  much  they  should  not,  I  am  willing 
to  take  the  proper  course  to  have  a  correct  and  handsome  engrav 
ing  from  Stuart's  picture,  or  from  one  to  be  made  by  Harding. 
I  am  against  all  lithographic  things. 


500  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

As  yet  I  have  not  consented  that  any  body  should  make  an 
engraving  from  Stuart. 

You  will  see  the  proposed  publishers  easily,  and  can  learn 
from  them  their  wishes  more  at  large.  I  should  like  your  opin 
ion,  whether  to  have  an  engraving  from  Stuart,  or  to  give  Hard 
ing  a  sitting  for  that  purpose. 

Mrs.  Webster  will  leave  me  in  about  three  weeks  for  New 
York.  I  shall  hasten  thither,  and  thence  to  Boston,  the  moment 
the  session  closes.  I  hope  to  be  home  by  the  25th  of  May.  If 
I  should,  we  must  once  more  wet  a  line  together  in  Marshfield. 

Remember  me  kindly  to  Mrs.  Davis,  and  believe  me  truly 
yours, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    DUTTON. 

Washington,  May  9,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  thank  you  for  your  favor  of  April  19.  To 
receive  a  letter  at  Washington  which  says  nothing  of  business, 
little  of  politics,  and  gives  a  little  honest  Boston  talk,  such  as 
the  writer  and  the  reader  might  hold  together  if  they  were  taking 
a  turn  in  the  Mall,  is  quite  refreshing.  In  general,  when  I  open 
a  letter,  the  silent  question  which  I  put  to  myself  is,  who  is  this 
that  wants  a  cadetship  or  a  midshipman's  warrant,  or  an  office, 
or  an  errand  done  at  one  of  the  departments  ?  Now  and  then, 
it  is  true,  there  is  a  professional  letter  of  rather  more  agreeable 
contents.  My  new  wife  ran  away  a  fortnight  ago,  and  took 
Julia  with  her.  She  is  visiting  her  friends  and  leaving  her 
P.  P.  C.'s  in  New  York ;  so  that  when  I  catch  up  with  her,  as 
the  boys  say  at  school,  she  may  be  ready  for  transplantation 
to  Boston.  When  that  will  be  I  cannot  exactly  tell.  Nothing 
moves  me  but  time,  or  rather,  we  all  keep  in  motion  without 
making  progress ;  like  that  movement  among  soldiers  which 
is  called  marking,  time,  when  they  lift  up  their  feet  and  put 
them  down  again,  without  going  forward.  We  have  been  prin 
cipally  occupied  in  marking  time  since  the  first  Monday  in 
December. 

For  the  next  two  weeks,  we  shall  have  a  scene  of  confusion  ; 
some  pressing  to  take  up  particular  measures,  some  pressing  to 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  -          501 

keep  them  off.  "  Indian  Bill,"  "  Tariff,"  "  Massachusetts  Claim," 
"  Time  of  adjournment."  A  din  will  come  from  all  these,  and 
twenty  more  such,  enough  to  split  the  ear. 

The  tariff  bill — improperly  so  called — will  pass  the  House 
and  probably  the  Senate.  Our  Massachusetts  delegation  in  the 
House  have  greatly  distinguished  themselves  on  that  measure. 
They  appear  to  me  to  have  overcome  the  Southrons  in  the  judg 
ment  of  all  the  impartial.  Mr.  Gorham  made  an  excellent 
.speech;  it  was  clear,  strong,  and  manly.  There  was  less  of  his 
peculiar  ingenuity  than  I  have  witnessed  in  some  former  in 
stances,  but  far  more  decision  and  force  than  in  any  other  effort 
of  his,  within  my  knowledge.  Davis  had  immediately  preceded 
him,  and  necessarily  occupied  some  of  his  ground.  You  know 
little  probably  of  Davis.  He  is  a  singularly  clear-headed  man. 
You  will  read  his  speech  with  great  pleasure,  that  is,  if  you  can 
ever  read  with  pleasure,  speeches  on  questions  of  political  econ 
omy,  and  connected  with  it.  For  my  part,  though  I  like  the 
investigation  of  particular  questions,  I  give  up  what  is  called 
the  "  science  of  political  economy."  There  is  no  such  science. 
There  are  no  rules  on  these  subjects  so  fixed  and  invariable  as 
that  their  aggregate  constitutes  a  science.  I  believe  I  have 
recently  ran  over  twenty  volumes,  from  Adam  Smith  to  Profes 
sor  Dew,  of  Virginia,  and  from  the  whole,  if  I  were  to  pick  out 
with  one  hand  all  the  mere  truisms,  and  with  the  other  all  the 
doubtful  propositions,  little  would  be  left. 

On  Monday  we  propose  to  take  up  Kendall  and  Noah.  My 
expectation  is  that  they  will  both  be  confirmed  by  the  casting- 
vote  of  the  Vice-President,  if  the  Senate  should  be  full,  as  I 
think  it  will  be.  A  week  ago  I  was  confident  of  their  rejection, 
but  one  man  who  was  relied  on  will  yield,  I  am  fearful,  to  the 
importunities  of  friends  and  the  dragooning  of  party.  We  have 
had  a  good  deal  of  debate  in  closed  session,  on  these  subjects, 
and  sometimes  pretty  warm.  Some  of  the  speeches,  I  suppose, 
will  be  hereafter  published,  none  of  mine,  however.  Were  it 
not  for  the  fear  of  the  out-door  popularity  of  General  Jackson,  the 
Senate  would  have  negatived  more  than  half  his  nominations. 

There  is  a  burning  fire  of  discontent,  that  must,  I  think,  some 
day  break  out.  When  men  go  so  far  as  to  speak  warmly  against 
things  which  they  yet  feel  bound  to  vote  for,  we  may  hope  they 
will  soon  go  a  little  further.  No  more  of  politics.  We  have 


502  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

now  and  then  a  Bostonian  or  two  here.  Your  Jackson  friends 
would  not  stay  long  enough  to  see  or  be  seen.  William  Sawyer 
and  Powell  Mason  are  here,  bound  to  Cincinnati.  Mr.  D.  P. 
Parker  is  here  also,  with  his  daughter,  and  so  is  my  countryman, 
that  good  citizen  of  the  world,  Mr.  A.  E.  Belknap. 

I  am  right  down  homesick ;  I  want  to  go  to  Sandwich  with 
I.  P.,  first  having  had  a  look  at  you  all.  At  any  rate,  I  wish  to 
shift  this  present  scene ;  to  get  out  of  the  Pennsylvania  Avenue  ; 
to  hear  no  more  of  bills,  resolutions,  and  motions.  I  never  felt 
more  completely  weary  of  a  session.  If  it  do  not  terminate 
soon,  I  shall  run  away  and  leave  it. 

I  pray  .you  to  make  my  very  best  regards  to  Mrs.  Button. 
Yours  ever  truly,  D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  If,  instead  of  a  letter,  I  could  send  you  peas  and  straw 
berries,  which  were  very  fine  on  our  table  yesterday,  I  think  it 
would  bo  a  better  offering. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WILLIAM    SULLIVAN. 

Washington,  May  22,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Your  letter  gives  me  an  opportunity  of  talk 
ing  freely  on  a  subject  which  has  been  suggested  to  me  from 
various  quarters,  and  about  which  I  have  not  said  much.  I  am 
inclined  to  avail  myself  of  this  opportunity  to  talk  right  out,  and 
give  you  the  whole  of  my  notions  in  regard  to  the  matter. 

1.  I  have  heard  that  the  good  people  of  Boston  would,  some 
of  them,  like  to  show  me  some  proof  of  kindness  by  a  dinner,  a 
ball,  or  something  else.  2.  That  the  mode  or  manner  is  not  yet 
decided,  and  that  all  rests,  as  yet,  in  intention.  Now  I  shall 
open  my  heart  to  you  without  reserve. 

As  to  a  dinner,  there  seem  to  me  to  be  insuperable  objections 
to  it.  I  have  received  that  compliment  once,  as  you  know,  two 
years  ago  ;  it  would,  therefore,  be  nothing  new.  But  what  is 
more  important,  other  persons'  feelings  might  be  injured.  Our 
immediate  representative  has  acquitted  himself  very  ably  in  the 
House  of  Representatives,  and  done  great  honor  to  the  State ; 
so  has  Davis,  and  so  has  Everett.  In  truth,  our  whole  delega- 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  503 

tion  in  the  House  of  Representatives  is  uncommonly  able,  and 
all  true.  My  colleague,  too,  though  an  unpretending  man,  has 
been  entirely  true,  and  very  useful  in  more  cases  and  ways 
than  one.  Now  it  would  be  invidious  to  select  me  alone,  as  the 
object  of  any  particular  expression  of  regard  ;  I  should,  myself, 
feel  that  it  would  be  in  some  measure  unjust ;  I  should  think 
they  would  have  a  right  to  feel  hurt. 

And  further,  my  friends  know  me,  I  know  them  ;  a  public 
dinner  would  be  no  additional  proof  of  regard ;  I  am  as  sure 
of  their  good  wishes  and  esteem  as  if  they  were  to  give  me  a 
dozen  dinners,  and  ring  all  the  bells  for  a  fortnight.  Then, 
would  it  do  good  elsewhere  ?  I  think  not.  It  would  necessarily 
have  some  political  cast,  and,  however  prudently  it  might  be 
conducted,  I  suspect  it  could  hardly  do  good  abroad.  I  am, 
therefore,  my  dear  Sir,  against  a  dinner,  and,  indeed,  against  all 
ostentation  and  show,  and  parade.  I  believe  the  interest  as 
well  of  my  constituents  as  of  myself,  is  likely  to  be  better  pro 
moted  by  abstaining  from  all  such  things.  I  shall  see  all  Boston, 
and  much  of  the  Commonwealth,  in  the  course  of  the  summer, 
and  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  and  shaking  hands  with 
most,  or  many,  of  those  who  take  an  interest  in  me,  or  would 
wish  to  give  me  congratulation. 

As  to  a  ball,  the  sun  rides  too  high  for  that.  Let  us  think  of 
that  in  October. 

And  now  I  will  '^ell  you  what  may  be  done  if  you  and  others 
see  fit.  If  fifty  gentlemen  are  inclined  to  make  a  subscription 
for  a  piece  of  plate,  say  an  urn  or  some  such  thing,  let  them  do 
so.  One  single  article,  of  size  to  bear  an  inscription,  would 
probably  be  better  than  more  and  smaller  ones.  Yet  even  this 
last,  which  is  your  suggestion,  would  be  perfectly  well. 

I  have  thus  spoken  to  you  in  confidence,  freely  and  unre 
servedly.  Whatever  you  and  others  do,  or  omit,  excepting  always 
a  dinner,  and  any  thing  else  that  is  ostentatious,  will  be  perfectly 
satisfactory  to  me.  I  know  you  will,  some  of  you  at  least,  be 
glad  to  see  me,  and  that  itself  is  high  gratification.  I  owe  my 
neighbors  infinitely  more  than  they  can  ever  owe  me ;  and  I  am 
satisfied,  and  gratified,  and  more  than  compensated  a  thousand 
times,  for  any  labors  or  efforts  of  mine,  by  the  consciousness 
that  I  am  thought  to  have  done  some  little  good. 

God  bless  you.  Yours,  D.  W. 


504  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


MR.    CLAY    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Ashland,  June  7,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Your  favor  of  the  29th  ult.  is  duly  received. 
The  decision  of  my  friends  at  "Washington  to  stand  still  for  the 
present,  and  to  leave  the  first  movement  to  Maryland,  was  best 
under  all  circumstances.  Their  opinion  that  I  should  go  no 
where  for  political  effect,  is  in  conformity  to  my  judgment  and 
to  my  principles.  I  could  not  have  gone  every  where  that  I  was 
pressed  to  go,  and  dissatisfaction  might  have  been  given  at 
places  which  I  did  not  visit.  I  think  further  that  you  are  right 
in  supposing  considerations  of  policy  to  be  opposed  to  a  nomi 
nation  at  present  in  Massachusetts.  To  me  personally  it  would 
be  highly  gratifying,  but  then  the  question  is  not,  what  is  most 
agreeable,  but  what  is  most  expedient. 

The  exercise  of  the  veto  on  the  Maysville  bill  has  produced 
uncommon  excitement  in  Kentucky.  I  have  not  yet  heard  from 
other  States.  Prior  to  it,  the  public  discontent  with  Mr.  Bibb 
broke  out  in  violent  forms ;  and  in  the  neighboring  village  of 
Lexington,  most  of  the  respectable,  and  some  of  the  least  worthy 
of  Jackson's  supporters  have  openly  renounced  their  faith. 

We  shall  attack  the  veto,  by  proposing  an  amendment 
of  the  constitution  to  restrict  it,  so  as  to  require  a  majority  of 
all  the  members  elected  to  each  branch  of  the  Congress,  instead 
of  two  thirds,  subsequently,  to  pass  the  bill.  I  think  such  an 
amendment  right,  otherwise  I  would  discountenance  it.  It  is 
conformable  to  the  analogy  of  many  of  the  State  constitutions, 
including  our  own;  and  it  is  in  the  spirit  of  our  institutions. 

The  policy  of  such  an  attack  is  obvious.  The  other  party  will 
of  course  defend  it,  and  we  shall  get  the  weather-gage  of  them. 
We  will  put  them  on  the  aristocratic  bench,  and  more  than  bal 
ance  the  account  of  their  proposition  to  amend  the  constitution 
in  regard  to  the  Presidential  election. 

You  will  consider  how  far  it  may  be  right  and  expedient,  in 
proper  time,  to  cooperate  in  this  subject. 

The  Maysville  road  leads  entirely  across  that  third  part  of 
Kentucky  that  was  most  favorable  to  Jackson.  You  can  imag 
ine,  then,  what  effect  must  be  produced  by  this  event.  We 
were  safe  before.  Now,  I  think,  we  may  be  considered  as  abso- 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  505 

mtely  certain ;  and  we  shall  send  you  some  good  and  true  man, 
I  hope  Crittenden  or  Letcher,  in  place  of  Rowan.  From  all 
other  parts  of  the  West  information  continues  to  be  good. 

I  wish  you  were  now  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  but  I 
doubt  whether  you  ought  to  return  to  it.  You  need  make  no 
change  to  advance  your  fame  ;  you  may  rest  entirely  satisfied 
with  what  you  have.  The  example  to  which  you  refer  is  not 
precisely  in  point ;  I  had  never  served  in  the  House  of  Repre 
sentatives,  and  I  was  about  thirty-two.  You  have  served  long 
there,  and  you  are  forty-eight. 

I  am  happy  to  tell  you  that  the  very  best  effects  have  been 
produced  by  your  vote,  and  that  of  our  New  England  friends 
generally,  for  the  Maysville  road.  It  will  not  be  forgotten. 

To  guard  against  the  treachery  of  the  post-office,  if  you  write 
me,  put  your  letters  under  cover  to  James  Harper,  Lexington. 
To  whom  should  I  address  mine  ? 

Ever  yours  cordially, 

H.  CLAY. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    DAVIS. 

Washington,  June  30,  1830.. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  have  received  your  letters,  and  am  paying  all 
due  attention  to  the  subject  of  cordage.  I  have  drawn  an 
amendment,  like  General  Dearborn's  in  effect,  and  sent  it  to  the 
committee,  to  whom  the  tariff  bill  is  referred.  I  have  spoken  to 
four,  out  of  five,  of  the  committee,  and  I  have  no  doubt  they  will 
report  the  desired  amendment,  and  that  it  will  pass.  Depend 
upon  it,  I  shall  follow  it  up.  It  will  not  be  either  overlooked 
or  overwhelmed  by  cries  of  "  question,"  "  question." 

I  am  almost  worn  out,  and  am  getting  to  be  as  thin  as  a 
hatchet.  I  sigh  for  the  seaside,  and  for  repose.  The  House  of 
Representatives  will  probably  go  to  work  on  the  Bank  to-day, 
and  soon  settle  it,  one  way  or  the  other.  Probably  they  will 
pass  it,  and  probably  too,  as  I  think,  the  President  will  place 
his  negative  upon  it.  Others  think  otherwise.  We  shall  see. 

Yours  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 
VOL.  i.  43 


506  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.   JUSTICE    STORY. 

Salem,  Wednesday,  one  o'clock,  11  August,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — J.  J.  Knapp's  trial  commenced  yesterday 
morning,  and  has  made  little  progress.  The  A.  M.  yesterday 
was  occupied  in  impanelling  a  jury ;  the  p.  M.  mainly  in  debat 
ing  whether  the  attorney-general  had  a  right  to  bring  in  other 
counsel;  on  this  question,  their  honors  deliberated,  and  this 
morning  agreed  to  let  me  in,  I  having  stated  to  them  that  I  ap 
peared  at  the  request  of  the  attorney-general,  and  had  not  re 
ceived,  and  should  not  receive,  any  fee  in  this  case  ;  which,  of 
course,  was  and  is  true.  This  A.  M.  has  been  employed  in  dis 
cussing  the  admissibility  of  the  confessions,  and  the  court  holds 
the  point  under  advisement.  I  expect  they  will  be  ruled  out. 
If  they  be  not,  I  shall  not  send  you  this  letter  ;  if  they  be,  then 
I  shall  find  myself  in  such  a  situation,  as  that  I  shall  be  com 
pelled  to  take  some  course,  respecting  the  Rhode  Island  court. 
If  the  confessions  be  ruled  out,  there  is  no  chance  of  finishing 
the  cause,  this  week ;  and  I  must  inevitably  abandon  it,  unless  I 
can  make  some  disposition  about  the  time  of  hearing  the  cause 
of  Farnham  v.  The  Blackstone  Canal.  My  engagement  in  that 
cause  is  early,  absolute,  and  indispensable.  It  will  come  on,  I 
suppose,  Monday  or  Tuesday  ;  and  the  only  question  is,  whether 
you  can  name  a  day  next  week  for  hearing  it,  at  Providence,  so 
late  as  to  be  certain  of  allowing  me  to  be  there.  If  not,  I  must 
leave  this  case  on  Saturday  evening,  at  all  events. 

I  write  you  thus  early,  because  I  know  not  what  else  to  do ; 
and  because,  if  any  thing  is  done,  I  must  send  off  an  express  to 
Rhode  Island.  It  is  of  great  importance  to  the  Messrs.  Farn 
ham,  and  I  believe  it  is  also  the  wish  of  the  other  party,  to  have 
the  cause  argued  this  term.  Counsel  on  the  other  side  do  not 
consent  to  argue  it  in  Boston,  so  I  must  go  to  Providence ;  and 
the  only  question  is,  whether  you  can,  at  all  events,  stay  at 
Providence  till  I  can  come. 

On  reflection,  I  think  it  best  to  send  this  to  you  at  once, 
because,  even  if  the  confession  is  admitted,  the  defendants' 
counsel  may,  under  pretence  of  impeaching  Frank  Knapp's  con 
viction,  spin  out  the  cause  till  Monday. 

The  bearer  of  this  will  bring  an  answer. 

Yours  always,  D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  507 


MR.    A.    LAWRENCE    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  October  23,  1830. 

DEAR  SIR, — Permit  me  to  request  your  acceptance  of  the  ac 
companying  small  service  of  plate,  as  a  testimony  of  my  grati 
tude  for  your  services  to  the  country,  in  your  late  efforts  in  the 
Senate,  especially  for  your  vindication  of  the  character  of  Mas 
sachusetts  and  of  New  England. 

From  your  friend  and  fellow-citizen, 

AMOS  LAWRENCE. 

P.  S.  If  by  any  emblem  or  inscription,  on  any  piece  of  the 
plate,  consisting  of  a  pitcher,  waiter,  and  two  goblets,  referring 
to  the  circumstances  above  mentioned,  the  whole  will  be  made 
more  acceptable,  I  shall  be  glad  that  you  will  designate  what 
It  shall  be,  and  permit  me  the  opportunity  of  adding  it. 

A.  L. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    DR.    PERKINS. 

Boston,  November  13,  1830. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND, — I  cannot  tell  you,  indeed  I  cannot,  how 
much  I  am  distressed  by  the  calamity  which  has  fallen  on  you 
and  your  wife ;  of  all  others,  it  seemed  the  least  likely  to  hap 
pen.  So  mighty  a  loss,  and  so  unexpected,  does  indeed  require 
of  you  both  all  the  exercise  of  your  patience  and  submission. 
It  has  made  a  very  deep  impression  on  all  our  household ;  and 
we  all  give  you,  in  large  measure,  all  we  can  give,  our  sym 
pathy,  and  our  participation  in  your  grief.  We  can  only  pray 
God  to  succor  and  console  you. 

I  returned  but  last  evening  from  Salem,  after  near  a  week's 
absence.  On  Monday,  if  weather  permits,  Mrs.  Webster  and 
her  sisters  leave  this  place  for  New  York.  I  go  with  them,  as 
far  as  Providence,  whence  I  expect  to  return,  and  to  remain  at 
home  till  about  December.  I  am  most  anxious  to  see  you,  and 
to  help  soothe,  if  I  can,  your  great  affliction. 


,508  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

• 
With  the  most  fervent  prayers  for  you  both,  I  am,  as  ever, 

most  sincerely  and  affectionately,  yours, 

DAN'L,  WEBSTER. 

NOTE.  Doctor  Perkins's  son,  Henry,  died  while  on  a  visit  to  his  father's 
house  in  New  York.  He  was  married,  and  had  come  home  from  the  West,  to 
see  his  parents,  and  died  very  suddenly  one  evening. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    C.    B.    HADDOCK. 

Washington,  February  6,  1831. 

MY  DEAR  NEPHEW, — I  heard  from  you,  at  the  early  part  of 
the  session,  and  have  omitted  to  answer  longer  than  I  intended. 
I  was  at  Salisbury  after  I  saw  you,  and  gave  directions  about 
the  farm.  I  think  it  best  to  put  an  end  to  separate  interests 
there  as  soon  as  convenient.  I  suppose  you  have  by  this  time 
obtained  your  license  to  sell.  My  hope  and  expectation  now 
are  to  be  in  Boston  the  first  day  of  April ;  perhaps  a  little  earlier. 
If  you  could  arrange  the  sale  for  about  the  middle  or  20th  of 
April,  I  could  conveniently  attend  it,  as  I  propose  to  visit  Salis 
bury  in  that  month.  In  May  and  June,  I  doubt  whether  it  will 
be  in  my  power.  If  events  come  about  according  to  my  wishes, 
I  hope  to  run  away  to  Ohio,  about  the  1st  of  May. 

Partly  on  my  own  motion,  and  partly  at  the  request  of 
friends,  I  have  been  putting  into  writing  something  of  my  early 
history,  dates,  incidents,  &c.,  touching  early  years.  I  have  not 
made  much  progress,  nor  is  there  indeed  much  to  be  said,  but  I 
have  run  over  a  few  sheets  of  paper.  It  has  occurred  to  me,  in 
connection  with  this  subject,  to  suggest  to  you  the  expediency, 
as  of  your  own  motion,  of  writing  to  Rev.  Dr.  Wood  of  Bos- 
cawen,  who,  I  hope,  is  yet  living.  He  may  have  few  or  no  inci 
dents  to  relate,  but  his  general  recollection  may  possibly  be  worth 
preserving.  I  need  not  enlarge;  you  will  understand  me.  It 
may  be  well  to  tell  him,  that  the  object  is  to  preserve  materials, 
not  to  be  used  in  his  lifetime  or  mine.  I  wish  he  would  say 
something  of  my  brother,  whom  he  knew  so  well,  and  so  long. 

The  book,1  I  have  seen.     It  is  well  enough  except  the  awful 

1  A  volume  of  Mr.  Webster's  Speeches. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  509 

face,  which  seems  to  be  placed  in  the  front  of  the  volume,  like  a 
scarecrow  in  a  cornfield,  to  frighten  off  all  intruders. 

Pray  let  me  hear  from  you,  and  tell  me  all  you  have  to  say, 
de  omnibus  rebus.     We  have  a  most  severe  winter  here ;  this  is 
as  frosty  a  morning  as  might  become   the   neighborhood   of 
Kearsarge.     Mrs.  Webster  desires  her  regards,  and  I  am, 
Dear  Charles,  always  truly  yours, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    MASON. 

New  York,  April  26,  1831. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  came  here  Saturday,  to  bring  my  wife  back 
to  Boston,  after  spending  a  few  days  here  with  her  friends. 
Having  leisure  this  p.  M.  I  incline  to  give  it  to  the  purpose  of 
writing  to  you ;  but  I  am  not  about  to  speak  on  the  subject  of 
the  resignation  of  our  wise  ministry  at  Washington,  or  any 
other  public  subject.  It  is  to  talk  of  yourself.  Before  I  left 
home  last  fall,  I  had  resolved  to  make  one  more  effort  to  bring 
you  up  to  Boston.  For  particular  reasons,  then  existing,  I  was 
induced  to  postpone  the  mentioning  of  the  subject.  I  write 
now,  simply  to  execute  that  intention;  and  to  entreat  you, 
earnestly,  to  consider  of  the  expediency  of  such  a  measure.  I 
will  not  presume  to  enter  into  the  consideration  which  recom 
mended  it,  at  least  in  my  opinion ;  but  I  will  say  that  my 
opinion  is  strong  and  decisive  on  the  point.  I  am  persuaded 
a  removal  will  add  to  your  happiness,  and  that  of  your  family. 
You  will  find  as  much  professional  employment  as  you  may 
wish  to  engage  in ;  and  you  will  find  yourself  surrounded  by 
warm  friends,  who  estimate  you,  as  you  deserve  to  be  esti 
mated.  Your  boys  are  now  provided  for.  Your  daughters  are 
better  at  Boston  than  Portsmouth ;  at  Boston,  you  will  find  as 
sociations,  topics,  congenial  minds,  and  objects  of  greater  in 
terest  than  now  surround  you.  New  York,  perhaps,  might  be 
still  better.  But  Boston  is  something. 

I  am  persuaded  you  dislike  the  idea  of  removal,  and  that 
that  is  the  main  obstacle.  But  that  is  a  thing  of  a  week.  Once 
settled,  and  all  that  feeling  is  over. 

My  dear  Sir,  although  it  would  add  greatly  to  my  happiness, 
43* 


510  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

that  you  should  come  to  Boston,  I  would  not  advise  it,  cer 
tainly,  if  I  did  not  think  it  would  promote  yours,  and  promote 
it  greatly.  Indeed,  I  reproach  myself  for  not  having  urged  this 
point  with  you  oftener.  I  wish  to  do  it  now,  with  earnestness ; 
I  am  sure  I  do  it  with  sincerity. 

Ever  truly  and  affectionately  your  friend, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    A.    P.    WEBSTER.1 

Boston,  June  14,  1831. 

MY  DEAR  SISTER, — Your  letter  has  come  to  hand  quite 
apropos.  It  is  our  intention  to  set  off  on  Thursday  morning 
for  Boscawen,  by  way  of  Nashua  village.  Weather  being 
favorable,  we  may  be  expected  Thursday  afternoon  at  Nashua, 
and  shall  be  happy  to  have  you  go  north  with  us.  I  am  under 
the  necessity  of  being  at  Concord,  at  noon  on  Friday ;  so  that 
I  shall  be  obliged  to  put  you  to  the  distress  of  an  early  rising  on 
that  day.  In  addition  to  Mrs.  Webster,  Julia  will  come  along. 
Edward  begins  to  beg  hard  to  go,  and  as  his  mother  is  on  his 
side,  he  also  may  prevail.  We  shall  have  room  for  you.  This 
is  a  great  day  with  us,  as  Mr.  Paige  is  to  be  married  this 
evening. 

"  The  dawn  is  overcast,"  &c. 

The  happy  pair  set  out  to-morrow  or  next  day,  for  the  Springs, 
the  Falls,  and  other  points  of  the  grand  tour. 
Give  my  best  regards  to  Mrs.  Abbott. 

Yours  always  affectionately, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  Julia  wrote  you  yesterday;  so  that,  probably,  your 
household  will  learn  our  intentions ;  that  is  to  say,  provided  you 
have  left  a  secretary  to  attend  to  your  correspondence. 

1  Then  at  Nashua. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  511 


MR.    E.    A.    CRAWFORD    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

September  7,  1831. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  will  respectfully  inform  you,  that  we  have  had 
twice  the  number  of  visitors  to  the  White  Hills  that  we  ever 
had  in  one  season  heretofore.  I  shall  be  at  liberty  in  a  short 
time,  and  I  wish  you  would  inform  me  at  what  time  I  should 
come  down  to  Boston  and  see  you,  to  make  that  contract  with 
you  and  C.  I  will  inform  you  that  I  have  taken  two  bears 
last  week,  and  the  third  one  left  his  foot  in  the  trap  and  made 
his  escape ;  but  I  will  take  some  more  of  these  black  rascals. 
I  shall  have  to  make  an  addition  to  my  house  another  year. 

Mrs.  Crawford  thinks  that  she  will  be  my  company  to  Boston. 
You  will  please  write  me,  at  what  time  I  shall  best  see  you  at 
Boston.     In  so  doing  you  will  oblige  your  friend. 
Respectfully  your  humble  servant, 

ETHAN   A.   CRAWFORD. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

December  23,  1831. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — I  am  off  to-morrow  for  Baltimore,  thence 
to  Annapolis  on  Monday,  to  spend  the  holidays  at  the  Mary 
land  court.  The  railroad  and  the  canal  have  a  controversy,  and 
I  am  going  down  in  aid  of  the  railroad.  My  cold  goes  off 
slowly,  but  keeps  going.  Mrs.  Webster  and  Julia  were  well  at 
the  last  dates.  I  have  a  letter  to-day  from  Fletcher ;  please  give 
my  love  to  him,  and  tell  him  I  will  answer  it  as  soon  as  I 
return.  I  hear  from  Edward  sometimes,  through  his  mother, 
but  he  has  not  yet  favored  me  with  a  line  direct. 

I  pray  my  best  love  to  Harriette  ;  I  hope  she  is  by  this  time 
free  from  cold.  I  wish  I  could  peep  in  at  one  of  her  little 
oyster  suppers.  Remember  me  also  to  Mr.  White  and  the  girls. 
Do  they  talk  and  laugh  as  usual,  or  has  the  cold  weather  sealed 
their  lips  ? 

Mr.  Appleton,  our  partner,  and  I  get  on  quite  well.  He  is 
good  company,  and  knows  many  things  that  I  wish  to  learn. 
A  month  hence  we  shall  be  full  of  tariff  debate. 


512  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 

Give  my  love  to  Edward,  and  ask  him  to  favor  me  with  a 
line,  when  his  urgent  engagements  may  allow  him  time. 
Mr.  Wirt  is  exceedingly  sick  at  Baltimore. 

Yours  truly,  ever.  D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MRS.    TICKNOR. 

Washington,  January  8,  1832. 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  TICKNOR, — Although  I  hardly  know  what  to 
say  to  you  by  way  of  condolence  in  your  affliction,  yet  I  cannot 
bear  to  say  nothing ;  I  am  so  desirous  you  should  know  how 
truly  and  deeply  I  sympathize  with  you,  who  have  been  near 
and  most  kind  to  me  in  my  greatest  trials. 

Your  last  severe  affliction  a  good  deal  resembles  my  last; 
except  that  Providence,  in  taking  one  brother,  has  left  you  an 
other,  and  has  left  beloved  sisters  also.  When  my  poor  brother 
fell,  I  was  bereft  of  everything  near  to  me  in  blood,  except  the 
little  saplings  of  my  own  household.  But  I  know  that  in  these 
cases  the  heart  does  not  reconcile  itself  to  its  loss  by  recollect 
ing  what  it  retains,  though  sometimes  it  clings  the  closer  to 
what  remains.  In  the  ordinary  losses  of  life,  in  disappointed 
hopes,  in  loss  of  fortune,  and  the  whole  train  of  common  ills,  a 
firm  and  elastic  spirit  gathers  consolation  and  new  hopes  from 
various  sources.  But  for  that  anguish  of  the  heart  which  the 
death  of  beloved  objects  creates,  there  is  no  solace  but 
Christian  resignation ;  no  balm,  but  in  the  soft  effusions  of 
that  spirit  which  can  say,  "  Not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt ! " 
Affliction,  I  am  persuaded,  properly  borne,  not  only  purifies 
but  elevates  the  mind.  Its  tendency  is  to  strengthen  religious 
feeling,  and  to  bring  into  more  vigorous  exercise,  and  to 
increase  by  such  exercise,  that  devout  trust  which  teaches 
us  that  all  is  in  His  hand,  and  assures  us  the  end  will  be 
right. 

I  pray  you,  my  dear  friend,  to  believe  that,  from  the  moment 
I  first  heard  of  Mr.  Eliot's  death,  I  have  thought  of  you  con 
stantly  and  most  affectionately,  and  I  could  not  longer  forbear 
some  expression  of  my  sympathy  and  regard.  I  implore  for 
you  and  yours  the  best  blessings  of  Heaven. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  513 

Perhaps  Mr.  Ticknor  will  sometimes  write  me;  I  shall  be 
very  desirous  of  hearing  from  some  of  you. 

When  a  proper  time  comes,  and  you  have  a  fit  opportunity,  I 
beg  you  to  mention  me  to  Mrs.  Dwight,  and  tell  her  I  share  her 
sorrows. 

My  own  health,  which  has  at  various  times  since  I  left  home, 
suffered  from  the  prevailing  epidemic,  is  now  good.  The  court 
commences  to-morrow.  Judge  Story  has  not  arrived,  but  is 
looked  for  soon.  I  feel  anxious  about  him,  only  because  the 
weather  has  been  so  severe,  and  the  journey  by  land  is  so 
tedious. 

With  my  most  cordial  regards  to  your  husband,  and  love  to 
your  little  ones,  I  am,  dear  Mrs.  Ticknor, 

Truly  and  affectionately  yours, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

Washington,  Tuesday  Evening,  January  3,  1832. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  I  am  safe 
back  from  Annapolis  ;  arrived  at  sunset  this  evening,  having 
come  across  the  country  and  not  round  by  way  of  Baltimore. 
We  were  seven  days,  all  of  us,  arguing  our  cause  ;  I  used  only 
part  of  one.  It  is  not  yet  decided,  though  we  left  the  judges 
there,  and  shall  know  in  a  day  or  two.  The  controversy  is 
about  a  narrow  pass,  which  both  companies  have  occasion  to 
occupy  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac  River,  at  the  foot  of  a 
perpendicular  precipice,  where  the  river  breaks  through  the 
Catoctin  Mountain,  one  of  the  ridges  of  the  Alleghany,  or  part 
of  the  Blue  Ridge,  more  properly.  ,There  is  not  room  enough 
for  both  routes  between  the  river  and  the  foot  of  the  mountain, 
and  neither  can  take  any  other  course  without  enormous  expense. 
The  canal  has  the  oldest  charter,  but  the  railroad  located  first 
on  this  particular  spot.  The  chances  of  the  decision  are  thought 
to  be  about  even ;  I  incline  to  think  they  preponderate  a  little 
in  our  favor. 

I  pray  you  say  to  Mr.  White,  I  thank  him  for  his  letter,  and 
shall  write  him  to-morrow.  I  see  Mr.  Worcester  of  Salisbury  is 
dead.  Love  to  Mrs.  Paige  and  Edward. 

Yours,  ever  truly,  D.  W. 


514  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

Washington,  Friday  p.  M.,  March  5,  1832. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — I  give  you  great  joy  at  the  birth  of  a 
daughter !  There  is  no  event  on  which  I  could  more  sincerely 
congratulate  you.  A  daughter  is  one  of  Heaven's  best  and 
sweetest  gifts  to  man.  It  delights  me  to  hear  of  her  dark  hair, 
dark  eyes,  and  high  forehead,  although  it  costs  me  an  involun 
tary  tear,  by  the  recollection  of  poor  little  Grace.  My  dear  Sir, 
I  share  your  feelings  and  partake  your  joy.  May  a  thousand 
blessings  hover  over  the  little  stranger !  I  beg  to  be  most  par 
ticularly  remembered  to  Harriette.  What  a  new  world  this  has 
become  to  her  by  the  events  of  a  year!  Pray  give  her  my  love. 

I  shall  write  a  note  forthwith  to  the  Judge,1  and  send  Charles 
off  with  it.  I  met  Mr.  Appleton  between  the  House  and  my 
seat  in  the  Senate,  he  bringing  me  the  news,  I  carrying  it  to 
him.  So  you  see  the  young  lady  makes  a  stir  at  Washington 
already.  I  thank  you  for  your  continued  attention  to  my  land 
matters,  &c. 

I  would  be  glad  to  help  poor  Edward  along  with  his  hard 
lessons  if  I  were  at  home.  Tell  him  to  keep  good  courage. 
Making  Latin  is  hard  work,  but  it  will  grow  easier. 

Yours  most  truly,  always, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER   TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

Washington,  March  10,  1832. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — I  have  been  exceedingly  glad  to  hear  from 
you  from  day  to  day,  with  accounts  of  Harriette  and  Miss 
Paige.  I  rejoice  to  think,  that  by  the  time  you  receive  this, 
Harriette  will  be  at  the  head  of  her  own  table  again ;  for 

"  What  is  a  table,  richly  spread, 
Without  the  lady  at  its  head." 

1  Judge  Story,  uncle  of  Mrs.  Paige. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  515 

Although  not  a  passionate  lover  of  children  that  I  know 
nothing  about,  yet  I  really  long  to  see  this  little  specimen  of 
humanity. 

Mr.  Appleton  and  Mr.  Button  seem  much  pleased  with  the 
result  of  the  sales ;  they  think  it  was  better  than  was  to  have 
been  expected.  They  both  perused  the  catalogue,  &c.  many  an 
hour,  while  I  read  the  newspapers.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dutton  leave 
us  on  Monday  next. 

I  hear  that  Mrs.  Webster  was  at  Baltimore  last  night ;  and 
while  I  write  this,  I  am  expecting  every  moment  to  see  her. 
Charles  keeps  watch  at  the  door. 

Pray  dispatch  Mr.  White  by  the  15th.  I  want  to  see  him, 
but  do  not  let  the  girls  suppose  I  am  desirous  of  seeing  them. 

P.  S.  Six  o'clock. — Mrs.  Webster  came  into  this  great  city 
at  three,  with  Mrs.  Edgar,  Herman  Newbold,  and  Mr.  Hamil 
ton  Fish.  All  well. 

I  write  to  Mr.  White  by  this  post ;  if  he  shall  have  left  you, 
you  may  either  send  it  after  him  to  New  York,  or  put  it  into 
the  fire,  no  matter  which. 

Yours,  D.  W. 


MR.    MERCER    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Fredericksburg,  April  10,  1832. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  received  with  great  pleasure  the 
pamphlet,  which  you  have  been  so  good  as  to  forward  to  me. 
The  same  mail  brought  me,  from  Judge  John  Pitman  of  Provi 
dence,  R.  I.,  an  oration  delivered  by  him  on  the  same  interesting 
occasion,  "  The  Centennial  Birthday  of  Washington." 

I  was  associated  with  Judge  Pitman  some  years  ago  on  a 
board  of  visitors  at  West  Point,  and  was  much  gratified  in 
forming  an  acquaintance  with  a  gentleman  in  all  respects  so 
estimable.  This  simultaneous  proof  of  your  regard  and  his  is  a 
very  pleasing  coincidence,  and  is  much  valued  by  me. 

I  will  ask  your  acceptance  of  an  Eulogium  pronounced  by 
Bishop  Madison  on  the  death  of  General  Washington,  under 
the  resolution  of  Congress ;  which,  as  a  profound  statesman  and 


516  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

American  patriot,  will  afford  you  pleasure.  There  is  a  beautiful 
and  eloquent  allusion  made  to  my  revered  father,  whose  charac 
ter  and  services  belong  to  the  nation,  and  I  have  endeavored  to 
preserve  the  discourse  to  our  country,  by  having  it  republished 
in  Philadelphia  during  the  last  summer.  I  hope  you  will  ap 
prove  of  my  having  in  this  manner  discharged  what  I  thought 
was  a  filial,  pious,  and  patriotic  duty  to  my  country,  whose 
adopted  son  I  am. 

Congress  resolved  in  April,  1777,  that  monuments  should  be 
erected  to  the  memory  of  General  Warren  and  rny  father ;  that 
the  eldest  son  of  General  Warren  and  the  youngest  son  of  Gen 
eral  Mercer  should  be  educated  at  the  public  expense.  I  am 
that  son,  and  since  I  reached  my  years  of  discretion  and  reflec 
tion,  have  had  a  steady  eye  upon  the  responsibilities  which  the 
sacred  connection  imposed  on  me.  I  was  but  five  months  of 
age  when  my  venerated  parent  sealed  with  his  blood  his  devo 
tion  to  the  cause  of  our  Independence.  His  adopted  country 
has  not  been  ungrateful;  his  memory  is  embalmed  in  the 
reverence  and  affection  of  the  whole  American  people. 

I  had  the  honor  of  being  introduced  to  you  two  years  ago  in 
the  Senate  Chamber;  had  my  stay  afterwards  in  Washington 
permitted,  I  should  certainly,  as  I  very  much  desired,  have 
waited  upon  you  at  your  lodgings,  as  you  kindly  invited  me  to 
do.  In  a  short  conversation  I  had  with  you,  you  spoke  with 
touching  and  patriotic  sensibility  of  having  visited  the  house, 
still  standing  near  Princeton,  in  which  my  father  died  under  his 
wounds.  In  July  last  I  was  in  Philadelphia ;  I  made  a  visit  to 
Princeton  as  privately  as  I  could ;  visited  the  battle-field  and 
house,  and  waited  upon  two  very  venerable  and  respectable 
Quaker  sisters  in  the  vicinity,  but  occupants  of  the  house  in 
January,  1777,  who  assisted  in  nursing  my  gallant  and  dying 
father.  This  visit  was  surely  of  the  most  sacred  character,  and 
I  felt  it  to  be  so.  The  maiden  name  of  those  sisters,  still  living, 
no  doubt,  is  Clarke;  one  a  widow,  the  other  never  having 
changed  her  state ;  one  eighty-two  years  of  age,  the  other 
seventy-eight.  What  remarkable  circumstances,  and  how 
closely  allied  with  one  of  the  most  interesting  epochs  in  our 
revolutionary  history !  They  were  much  gratified  upon  my  at 
length  informing  them  who  I  was,  and  my  object  in  visiting 
them;  they  gave  me  many  interesting  particulars  of  then- 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  517 

attendance  on  my  father.  YOU  are  perhaps  apprised  that  the 
body  was  removed  under  a  military  escort  to  Philadelphia.  It 
was  exposed  one  day  in  the  coffee-house  of  that  city  to  the 
army  and  people,  and  was  then  committed  to  the  tomb  in  Christ 
churchyard,  "  followed  by  thirty  thousand  sympathizing  mourn 
ers."  '  The  monuments  have  not  been  reared,  but  the  resolution 
of  Congress,  enrolled  among  the  archives  of  the  government, 
will  endure  with  the  republic,  and  will  be  more  durable  than 
monumental  brass  or  marble. 

When  in  Philadelphia,  about  eighteen  years  ago,  I  felt  a 
wish  to  place  some  memorial  over  the  grave.  The  venerable 
gentleman,  Mr.  Dalby,  who  was  sexton  of  the  church  at  the 
time  of  the  funeral,  was  living,  and  still  the  sexton.  This  infor 
mation  was  given  me  by  Bishop  White,  one  of  the  chaplains  to 
the  army.  I  ascertained  the  residence  of  Mr.  Dalby,  (now  num 
bered  among  the  dead,)  called  on  him,  made  myself  known,  and 
told  him  the  object  of  my  visit.  He  said  he  recollected  well 
and  never  could  forget  "  the  great  funeral ; "  we  met  at  Christ 
churchyard  next  morning  at  nine.  Mr.  Dalby  pointed  to  a  spot : 
"  Underneath  are  the  remains  of  your  father."  He  called  my 
attention  to  the  letters  G.  M.,  rudely  scratched  on  the  brick  wall 
immediately  over  the  spot.  They  are  intended,  he  said,  for 
"  General  Mercer."  Those  letters  were  then  plain,  and  easily 
seen ;  time  has  since  obliterated  them  entirely.  I  directed  a  plain 
marble  slab  with  a  simple  inscription  to  be  placed  over  the  spot, 
and  the  venerable  and  excellent  Bishop  White  was  so  good  as 
to  see  the  work  perfected  upon  my  return  home.  In  several 
visits  to  Philadelphia  since,  I  have  visited  the  sacred  tomb, 
which  now  points  out  to  the  passing  stranger  the  spot  which 
contains  the  earthly  remains  of  one  who  gloriously  gave  up  his 
life  in  the  holy  cause  of  American  Independence ;  before,  there 
was  no  mound  or  stone,  however  rude,  to  designate  the  spot. 

Your  patriotism,  Sir,  pure  and  lofty  as  your  country  knows 
it  to  be,  will  excuse  me  with  you  for  giving  you  these  lengthy 
details.  I  have  thought  they  might  interest  you,  whilst  I  am 


1  Extract  from  a  letter  of  Colonel  James  Innis  of  the  Virginia  line,  then  with 
the  army  and  present  at  the  funeral,  to  my  grandmother,  Mrs.  Gordon.  Colonel 
Innis  was  for  many  years  after  the  Revolution  one  of  the  most  eloquent  and  able 
gentlemen  of  the  Virginia  bar. 

VOL.  i.  44 


518  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

very  sensible  of  the  delicacy  of  such  a  communication  coming 
from  me  ;  but  I  well  know  to  whom  I  am  writing.     With  high 
admiration  of  your  distinguished  and  elevated  character  and 
virtues,  I  am,  my  dear  Sir,  with  perfect  esteem  and  respect, 
Your  friend  and  obedient  servant, 

HUGH  MERCER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PAIGE. 

Washington,  Tuesday  morning,  April  24,  1832. 

DEAR  WILLIAM, — I  have  received  yours  respecting  the  lining 
of  the  chaise.  I  do  not  like  a  dark  lining ;  such  linings  look 
hot  in  summer,  and  in  winter  I  go  in  a  sleigh.  I  reject  blue  ; 
therefore,  the  body  and  carriage  being  dark,  I  suppose  a  light 
drab  would  not  answer,  and  dark  drab  looks  dull.  On  the 
whole,  I  am  for  a  brown,  or  a  claret,  though  if  I  know  what  a 
claret  is,  it  is  rather  darker  than  I  should  like,  yet  I  think  it  will 
do  very  well.  Please  ask  Harriette,  whether  it  shall  be  a  claret 
or  a  brown,  and  decide  according  to  her  response,  as  I  hope  she 
will  sometimes  do  my  new  chaise  the  honor  to  take  a  drive 
in  it. 

I  hear  that  Mr.  White  and  daughters  left  Baltimore  yesterday 
morning.  Of  course,  Mr.  A.  and  Mrs.  White  did  not  reach 
them  there ;  they  will,  doubtless,  overtake  them  this  night,  at 
Philadelphia.  I  am  happy  to  say  that  my  letters  this  morning, 
dated  Sunday  morning,  represent  Mrs.  Jones  as  a  good  deal 
better.  Yours  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


CHIEF    JUSTICE    MARSHALL    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Richmond,  June  G,  1832. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  thank  you  very  sincerely  for  the  copy  with 
which  you  have  favored  me  of  your  speeches  on  the  bill  for  re 
newing  the  charter  of  the  Bank  of  the  United  States.  I  need 
not  say  that  I  consider  an'accommodation  of  the  tariff  question 
itself  as  scarcely  more  interesting  to  our  country  than  the  pas 
sage  of  that  bill.  Your  argument  presents  the  subject  in  its 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  519 

strongest  point  of  view,  and  to  me  seems  unanswerable.  Mr. 
Ritchie,  in  his  Inquirer,  informs  the  people  of  Virginia  that  Mr. 
Tazewell  has  refuted  you  completely.  This  he  may  have  done 
in  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Ritchie.  I  have  not  seen  Mr.  Tazewell's 
speech,  and  do  not  understand  from  The  Inquirer  whether  his 
refutation  applies  to  your  speech  in  favor  of  the  bill  or  to  that 
against  <fche  amendment  offered  by  Mr.  Moor.  By  the  way, 
your  argument  against  that  amendment  is  founded  in  an  idea 
which  to  me  is  quite  novel.  I  had  often  heard  it  advanced  that 
the  States  have  no  constitutional  power  to  establish  banks  of 
circulation,  but  never  that  Congress  might  not  introduce  into  the 
charter  a  restraining  principle,  which  might  prohibit  branches 
altogether,  or  require  the  assent  of  a  State  to  their  introduction, 
or  a  principle  which  might  subject  them  to  State  taxation.  This 
may  be  considered  not  as  granting  power  of  taxation  to  a  State, 
for  a  State  possesses  that  power ;  but  as  withdrawing  a  bar 
which  the  constitution  opposes  to  the  exercise  of  this  power 
over  a  franchise  created  by  Congress  for  national  purposes,  un 
less  the  constitution  of  the  franchise  in  its  creation  has  this 
quality  engrafted  on  it.  I  however  am  far  from  undertaking  to 
dissent  from  your  proposition ;  I  only  say  it  is  new,  and  I  pon 
der  on  it. 

With   great   and    respectful    esteem,    I   am    your   obedient 
servant,  J.  MARSHALL. 

P.  S.     I  only  meant  to  express  my  obligation  for  your  atten 
tion,  and  I  have  betrayed  myself  into  the  politics  of  the  day. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WHITE. 

Washington,  June  28,  1832. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — The  tariff  bill  was  engrossed  yesterday,  in  the 
House  of  Representatives,  and  will  probably  pass  to-day.  It 
contains  many  good  and  some  bad  things,  and  was  carried  in 
the  House  by  a  strangely  mixed  vote.  Many  gentlemen  south 
of  the  Potomac  River  voted  for  it,  as  did  Mr.  Adams,  and 
Mr.  Appleton,  and  others.  John  Davis,  Mr.  Choate,  and  others, 
voted  against  it.  Its  great  objection  is,  that  it  leaves  the  broad- 


520  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

cloths  unprotected.  In  this  respect  we  shall  try  to  mend  it; 
and  I  have  hopes  of  success.  One  thing  seems  certain ;  if  the 
bill  passes,  nullification  is  at  an  end.  There  are  too  many 
southern  votes  for  it,  to  admit  the  idea  of  its  being  nullified  by 
southern  votes.  If  we  can  make  the  bill  what  it  ought  to  be,  in 
regard  to  woollen  cloths,  it  will  do  much  good.  Some  other 
things  must  be  attended  to.  Say  to  Mr.  I.  P.  Davis,  that  I  do 
not  draw  back  from  attention  to  drawbacks  ;  and  that  I  am 
bound  by  strong  cords  to  the  interest  of  cordage.  Lead  goes 
very  heavily,  in  the  present  bill ;  but  my  ever  vigilant  colleague 
will  look  out  for  Salem,  and  all  its  interests  urban  and  sub 
urban.  In  some  other  particulars  we  shall  try  our  hand  at 
amendments.  Let  us  hope  for  the  best  and  be  prepared  for  the 

worst. 

******* 

I  suppose  my  wife  is  this  day  in  Boston ;  I  pray  you  take 
good  care  of  her.  Give  my  love  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Paige,  and 
show  him  this  letter ;  and  give  my  love  also  to  the  damsels. 

Yours  ever  and  a  day, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WHITE. 

Marshfield,  Sunday,  August  2,  1832. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  did  not  write  you,  as  I  promised,  on  Fri 
day,  because,  so  soon  as  it  ceased  raining  in  the  morning,  there 
were  certain  flocks  seen  on  the  meadows,  whose  visits  it  was 
necessary  to  regard,  and  Mr.  Blake  came  that  evening,  and  took 
the  field  yesterday,  so  that  I  was  occupied  with  him.  We  em 
barked  in  Mr.  Hatch's  boat,  at  the  boat-house,  head  of  South 
River,  and  went  down  to  the  mouth  thereof,  through  the 
marshes,  and  returned  the  same  way.  We  found  some  birds, 
though  the  meadows  are  not  sufficiently  mown  to  make  them 
constantly  plenty.  Immediately  after  the  rain,  they  were  in 
great  numbers,  all  round  us.  I  have  not  followed  the  seas  at 
all,  since  I  saw  you  last.  I  reserve  the  pleasure  of  renewing 
that  sort  of  life  till  you  come  again,  and  until  The  Calypso ' 

1  A  yacht  presented  to  Mr.  Webster  by  Mr.  White. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  521 

makes  her  appearance  on  this  coast.     Meantime,  Peterson  takes 
care  that  we  do  not  suffer  for  the  want  of  a  fish  or  two. 

I  have  occasion  to  be  in  Boston  on  Wednesday,  for  a  few 
hours ;  and  now  intend  to  send  Peterson  up,  by  one  of  the 
packets,  on  Tuesday,  or  else  to  get  him  along  by  the  Hingham 
steamboat,  on  Wednesday  morning,  so  as  to  be  in  Boston  as 
soon  as  I  am,  say,  Wednesday,  twelve  o'clock.  If  he  has  a  fair 
chance  to  go  by  the  packet,  I  shall  let  him  take  some  man  or 
boy  with  him,  so  as  to  have  a  full  crew.  If  he  goes  in  the  other 
mode,  he  must  ship  a  hand  in  Boston,  unless  you  should  feel 
inclined  to  take  the  helm  yourself.  Nothing  happening,  I  hope 
to  see  you  in  Boston  Wednesday,  twelve  o'clock;  and  bring 
you  down  with  me  on  Thursday,  unless  you  choose  to  come  in 
the  boat.  From  Thursday  the  16th,  to  Monday  the  28th,  I 
wish  you  to  be  with  us  here,  as  much  as  you  can ;  and  on  the 
last-mentioned  day,  viz :  Monday,  the  28th,  we  must  go  with 
our  two  boys  to  Chatham  direct,  and  create  a  sensation  among 
the  curlews.  I  will  stay  with  you  at  Cherry  Hill,  one  week 
after  our  return  from  Chatham,  at  any  time  .in  September  or 
October,  as  may  be  most  convenient.  I  should  like  to  hit  on 
nearly  the  same  period  as  last  year,  well  recollecting  how  pleas 
ant  and  agreeable  every  thing  then  looked.  We  will  try  to  kill, 
not  another  horse,  but  another  teal. 

Yours  very  sincerely  always, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WHITE. 

Boston,  Sunday,  twelve  o'clock,  at  Mr.  Paige's,  1832. 
MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  arrived  here  Friday  noon,  and  was  exceed 
ingly  sorry  to  find  you  had  left,  and  more  especially  for  the 
cause  thereof.  Yesterday,  I  despatched  my  little  concern  in 
court,  and  Mr.  Paige  and  I  had  made  arrangements  to  set  forth 
this  morning  for  Cherry  Hill,  when,  lo !  at  five  o'clock  Mrs. 
Paige  and  little  "  h,"  and  the  two  Carolines  drove  up.  All  this 
made  it  quite  impossible  to  move  Mr.  Paige  towards  Cherry 
Hill,  or  in  any  other  direction  leading  from  the  two  "  H's " 
to-day. 

44* 


522  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

I  saw  your  letter  to  him  ;  you  do  quite  right  to  keep  still  and 
quiet  for  some  days,  when  I  doubt  not  you  will  be  well  again. 
I  shall  not  leave  Boston  till  to-morrow,  which  will  give  me  op 
portunity  to  see  all  attended  to  which  you  suggested  touching 
the  boat ;  your  notions  are  all  right  and  good.  Commodore 
Morris  and  Mr.  I.  P.  Davis  insist  that  safety  chests  shall  be 
placed  under  the  thwarts,  which  the  Commodore  says  will  make 
it  certain,  in  all  cases,  that  if  accident  happen,  the  boat  will  still 
float.  I  know  not  much  about  the  matter,  but  shall  inquire  to 
morrow  morning.  Ought  not  a  small  axe  to  be  put  in  a  proper 
pjace,  to  cut  a  mast,  in  case  of  need,  or  carry  on  a  quarrel  with 
a  shark,  &c.  ?  Notwithstanding  that  I  shall  give  all  needful 
directions  to-morrow  morning,  I  shall  not  let  the  ship  be  stirred 
till  you  see  her,  and  pronounce  all  to  be  right.  Commodore 
Peterson  is  very  impatient  to  have  his  broad  pennant  flying  at 
her  mast's  head.  He  says  that  her  sails  must  of  course  have 
reefs,  therefore  he  wishes  not  an  inch  of  her  masts  to  be 
taken  off. 

I  hope,  my  dear  Sir,  you  will  be  able  to  be  in  town  in  three 
or  four  days,  and  to  take  Mr.  Paige  over  the  waves  to  Green 
Harbor.  Your  arrival  shall  be  duly  honored. 

I  notice  that  the  Nahant  sales  are  absolutely  fixed  for  Wed 
nesday.  As  you  said  something  of  a  partly-formed  intention 
of  buying  one  of  the  cottages,  I  take  the  liberty,  which  I  hope 
you  will  excuse,  of  suggesting  whether  you  might  not  safely 
postpone  the  execution  of  that  intention. 

I  give  the  following  reasons :  1.  These  cottages,  or  some  of 
them,  will  be  in  the  market,  no  doubt,  and  may  be  purchased 
whenever  you  please  hereafter.  2.  I  want  you  to  take  a  look 
at  the  south  shore,  from  Quincy  to  Cohasset,  inclusive.  Come 
up  by  way  of  Hingham,  and  across  the  harbor  in  a  boat,  and 
look  a  little  at  certain  localities  which  I  wish  you  to  see,  before 
you  fix  on  a  spot  for  a  marine  villa. 

Let  me  hear  from  you,  my  dear  Sir,  as  soon  as  you  are  able ; 
and  remember  that  no  fish  will  have  the  honor  of  being  brought 
on  board  The  Calypso,  till  you  throw  a  line  over  her  bul 
warks. 

Yours  most  faithfully  always, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  523 

P.  S.  I  forgot  to  say  that  I  expect  to  be  in  Boston  about 
Wednesday,  the  15th,  to  stay  one  night.  If  I  should  not  see 
you  before  that  time,  I  shall  hope  to  meet  you  there,  then. 
There  are  some  matters  of  business  which  will  call  me  up  at 
that  time,  and  though  I  shall  not  probably  stay  long,  yet  I  hope 
to  be  able  to  find  time  to  see  you  and  other  friends,  as  may  be 
convenient. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WHITE. 

Green  Harbor,  August  17,  half-past  twelve,  1832. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  arrived  at  sunset  yesterday,  and  found  all 
well.  Mr.  Paige  had  been  busily  engaged  all  day,  either  shoot 
ing  or  driving  out  with  the  ladies.  Mrs.  Paige  seems  quite 
well ;  and  as  for  the  amiable  and  interesting  Miss  Paige,  she  is 
as  gay  as  a  lark  and  as  fat  as  a  plover. 

The  Calypso  anchored  in  the  inner  roads  last  evening,  before 
dark,  out  about  seven  or  eight  hours  from  Boston,  and  for  some 
time  becalmed  off  the  cliffs ;  all  well ;  spoke  nothing.  The 
Commodore  speaks  of  her  in  the  highest  manner,  as  a  sea  boat. 
In  her  build  and  equipment  he  holds  her  unsurpassed.  She  will 
proceed  on  no  cruise  for  halibut,  cod,  or  haddock,  until  you  shall 
be  on  board. 

We  look  for  you,  of  course,  on  Monday,  rain  or  shine.  I 
saw  Mr.  Blake  after  leaving  you.  He  seemed  disposed  to  return, 
and  commissioned  me  to  inquire  him  out  some  rooms.  I  think 
he  can  be  accommodated  at  Captain  Hewitt's,  which  you  know 
is  close  by.  I  shall  write  him  this  post.  You  will,  of  course, 
arrange  that  Joseph  shall  rendezvous  here  by  the  end  of  next 
week,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  a  punctual  departure  for  Chatham 
on  Monday  the  27th,  at  five  A.  M. 

The  shooting  is  fine  this  morning.  Mr.  Paige  shot  a  dozen 
birds  in  the  Captain's  pond.  I  have  made  the  number  twenty 
without  going  far  beyond  the  barn.  He  is  now  at  Peterson's, 
and  will  be  home  to  dine  with  a  dozen  more. 

On  reflection,  I  think  Joseph  ought  to  come  down  here,  so  as 
to  have  two  or  three  days'  shooting  next  week ;  I  understand 
that  the  state  of  the  tides  and  of  the  mowing  on  the  meadows, 
will  render  that  period  auspicious.  The  shooting  here  is  now 


524  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

good ;  the  true  way  is,  to  hasten  down,  enjoy  it,  but  not  to  pro 
claim  it ;  don't  speak  too  goldenly  of  it  to  Mr.  Blake  ;  it  is  not 
necessary  to  bring  half  the  town  into  the  Old  Colony,  by  inflamed 
account  of  sports.  Remember  that  this  hint  is  not  for  yourself, 
for  you  have  no  tongue,  except  when  tongues  would  be  ser 
viceable. 

Give  my  love  to  the  damsels. 

Yours  truly  ever, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WHITE. 

Green  Harbor,  Saturday  evening,  August  19,  1832. 
MY  DEAR  SIR, — The  foregoing1  proposition  has  been  duly 
talked  over  here,  and  meets  with  unanimous  concurrence.  We 
can  find  room  for  the  two  sprites  somewhere,  and  if  they  can 
undergo  Marshfield  for  a  week,  we  shall  be  glad  to  see  them. 
They  will  be  beau-less,  it  is  true ;  but  a  short  abstraction  from 
the  world  may  cause  their  lights  to  appear  more  splendid  when 
they  reappear  in  it.  Mr.  Paige  will  talk  over  the  matter  with 
you  and  them.  Yours  ever, 

D.  WEBSTER. 

P.  S.  We  look  for  you  on  Monday,  and  the  weather  being 
fine  we  will  join  the  great  fishing  interest  of  the  country  on 
Tuesday. 


MR.   WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WHITE. 

Green  Harbor,  Marshfield,  Wednesday  afternoon. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — We  only  reached  Quincy  last  night,  nor  did 
we  accomplish  that  without  a  ducking.  Nevertheless,  we  ar 
rived  here  quite  well,  and  without  colds,  at  ten,  A.  M. 

1  A  letter  from  Mrs.  Webster,  inviting  Mr.  White's  two  daughters  to  visit 
Green  Harbor,  with  their  father  and  brother  Joseph,  and  to  remain  there  dur 
ing  the  contemplated  visit  to  Chatham. 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  535 

We  have  had  a  laugh  at  dinner,  though  we  had  to  force  it  a 
little.  We  have  found  out  that  although  we  fobbed  you  off 
with  some  thin  claret  on  Sunday,  we  were  really  rich,  in  various 
good  wines,  with  which  your  kindness  had  supplied  us.  To 
prevent  or  alleviate  extreme  mortification,  we  have  affected  to 
make  a  joke  of  it,  and  tried  hard  to  laugh.  The  truth  is,  I 
found  a  bottle  of  brandy,  and  two  bottles  of  Sherry,  in  the 
cooler,  neither  seeing  any  more  nor  hearing  of  any  more ;  and 
then,  Mr.  Paige  having  spoken  of  only  a  bottle  or  two,  I  thought 
I  had  seen  all ;  and  Henry,  who  knew  all,  being  absent  on  Sun 
day,  I  was  left  to  remain  in  my  error.  I  pray  you,  in  accepting 
thanks  for  your  kindness,  to  accept  also  an  apology  for  such  a 
blunder.  I  assure  you,  it  is  not  often  that  good  wine  is  under 
any  roof  where  I  am  without  my  knowing  it. 

Notwithstanding  the  copious  shower  which  fell  in  Boston  and 
its  immediate  vicinity,  there  was  not  a  drop  of  rain  here  yes 
terday  ;  nor  hardly  any  as  far  on  the  road  as  Weymouth. 

After  I  saw  you,  I  was  forced  to  agree  to  go  to  Boston,  to 
argue  a  cause  in  the  supreme  court,  for  Messrs.  Peters  and  Pond. 
I  suppose  it  will  be  heard  on  Saturday  next,  though  the  time  is 
not  positively  fixed.  I  pray  you  give  my  love  to  Mrs.  Paige 
and  the  damsels,  including  Miss  Paige.  All  have  sent  you  the 
kindest  remembrance.  I  am  going  over  this  p.  M.  to  see  Com 
modore  Peterson. 

Yours  ever,  truly  and  faithfully, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WHITE. 

Green  Harbor,  September  14,  Friday  evening,  1832. 
MY  DEAR  SIR, — Mrs.  Webster's  health  improves  rapidly.  She 
has  had  a  drive  to-day,  and  if  she  continues  to  improve  and  the 
weather  should  be  fine,  we  shall  set  off  for  Cherry  Hill  Monday 
morning.  We  may  probably  cut  Boston  altogether,  and  dine 
at  the  Norfolk  House,  or  elsewhere,  and  bring  up  at  Cherry  Hill  at 
night.  If  we  judge  the  day's  drive  too  long,  we  shall  of  course 
stop  by  the  way.  From  us  to  you,  round  Boston,  is  fifty- 
five  miles,  or  thereabout,  a  pretty  long  drive  for  a  convalescent 
lady. 


526  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE    OF 

As  1  was  sitting  down  to  dinner  yesterday,  I  was  told  that 
.  five  teal  had  sat  down  in  the  water  just  below  the  dike.  I  went 
out  and  shot  three  of  them,  and  brought  them  in  before  the 
beefsteak  had  cooled.  This  afternoon  I  strayed  down  to  the 
rock  with  Henry,  just  to  look.  We  saw  several  small  pods  of 
coots  go  by ;  one  of  them  came  so  near  that  I  brought  down 
one  of  the  number  composing  it,  with  bird  shot.  But  it  fell  in 
the  sea,  and  we  had  no  boat,  and  so  we  lost  it. 

Just  at  dusk  this  evening,  a  woodcock  undertook  to  fly  over 
our  premises,  but  not  steering  well  run  afoul  of  the  pig-pen 
fence  and  almost  killed  himself.  He  got  off  with  difficulty.  If 
he  be  a  bird  of  any  spirit,  he  must  be  mortified  at  the  laugh 
which  the  bystanding  unfeathered  bipeds  raised  at  this  clumsy 
specimen  of  aerial  navigation. 

I  believe  I  have  now  told  you  all  the  Marshfield  incidents. 
To-morrow,  if  the  weather  should  be  fine,  I  intend  to  wet  a  line 
in  the  salt  seas. 

» 

Mrs.  Webster  desires  her  best  love  to  you  and  the  girls. 
I  am,  dear  Sir,  as  always  yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    CHANCELLOR    KENT. 

Boston,  October  29,  1832- 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Mr.  Calhoun,  as  you  are  doubtless  aware,  has 
published  a  labored  defence  of  nullification,  in  the  form  of  a  letter, 
to  Governor  Hamilton.  It  is  far  the  ablest  and  most  plausible, 
and  therefore  the  most  dangerous  vindication  of  that  particular 
form  of  revolution,  which  has  yet  appeared. 

In  the  silence  of  abler  pens,  and  seeing  as  I  think  I  do,  that 
the  affairs  of  this  government  are  rapidly  approaching  a  crisis, 
I  have  felt  it  to  be  my  duty  to  answer  Mr.  Calhoun,  and,  as  he 
adopted  the  form  of  a  letter,  in  which  to  put  forth  his  opinions, 
I  think  of  giving  my  answer  a  similar  form.  The  object  of  this 
is,  to  ask  your  permission  to  address  my  letter  to  you.  I  pro 
pose  to  feign  that  I  have  received  a  letter  from  you  calling  rny 
attention  to  Mr.  Calhoun's  publication ;  and  then,  in  answer  to 
such  supposed  letter,  to  proceed  to  review  his  whole  argument 
at  some  length,  not  in  the  style  of  a  speech,  but  in  that  of  cool, 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  527 

constitutional,  and  legal  discussion.  If  you  feel  no  repugnance 
to  be  thus  written  to,  I  will  be  obliged  to  you  for  your  assent ; 
on  the  other  hand  if  any  reasons  suggest  themselves  to  your 
mind  against  such  a  form  of  publication,  another  can  be  readily 
adopted.  I  cannot  complete  the  paper  before  the  election,  as  I 
am  at  present  a  good  deal  pressed  with  professional  affairs,  but 
I  hope  to  bring  it  into  light  in  the  course  of  the  next  month. 

I  have  little  to  say  to  you,  my  dear  Sir,  upon  political  sub 
jects.  The  whole  ground  is  open  to  you.  I  trust  you  will  be 
one  of  those  who  will  have  votes  to  give,  and  devoutly  pray 
you  may  yet  see  some  way  of  so*uniting  the  well-disposed,  as 
to  rescue  us  from  our  peril. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  with  most  sincere  and  true  regard,  yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


CHANCELLOR    KENT    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

New  York,  October  31,  1832. 

DEAR  SIR, — I  have  no  objection  that  you  should  address  in 
the  form  of  a  letter  or  letters  to  me  your  remarks  on  the  Vice- 
President's  scheme  of  nullification,  and  that  you  should  assume 
it  to  be  in  answer  to  a  letter  from  me  relative  to  that  subject.  I 
shall  deem  it  an  honor  to  be  addressed  by  you  while  engaged  in  the 
investigation  of  such  an  interesting.subject.  The  Vice-President 
enclosed  one  of  his  pamphlets  to  me,  and  I  read  it  attentively. 
It  is  ingeniously  written ;  but  such  a  construction  of  the  consti 
tution,  and  such  principles  as  he  deduces,  are  visionary  and 
most  unsound  and  sophistical.  His  repugnance  to  all  solid  con 
stitutional  principles  would  fix  a  deadly  power  of  destruction  in 
the  very  vitals  of  the  government. 

The  crisis  is  indeed  portentous  and  frightful.  We  are  threat 
ened  -with  destruction  all  around  us,  and  we  seem  to  be  fast 
losing  our  original  good  sense  and  virtue.  The  Democracy  of 
this  city  require  all  their  candidates  to  Congress  to  give  another 
pledge  to  support  all  the  measures  of  the  administration.  Can 
any  thing  be  more  degrading  and  monstrous  ?  Is  the  proud 
House  of  Representatives  and  the  grand  inquest  of  the  nation  to 
be  composed  of  such  materials  ? 


528  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

If  we  succeed  in  our  election,  I  shall  take  the  liberty  of  writ 
ing  you  again,  and  ask  for  a  free  communication  of  sentiments. 
If  we  fail,  then  indeed  we  may  hang  our  harps  upon  the  wil 
lows  or  on  the  witch  hazel  that  shades  Saint  FLllan's  Spring ! 

Your  speech  at  Worcester  was  admirable  for  its  logic  as  well 
as  for  its  fervor  and  its  force.     If  we  are  to  be  saved  we  shall 
be  largely  indebted  to  you.     "  Si  Perg-ama"  8fc. 
Adieu,  yours  most  sincerely, 

JAMES  KENT. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WILLIAM    SULLIVAN. 

Washington,  January  3,  1833. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  am  glad  to  receive  your  letter.  We  are 
surrounded  with  difficulties  here,  of  various  sorts ;  and  it  is  not 
a  little  uncertain  how  we  shall  get  out  of  them.  At  the  present 
moment,  it  would  seem  that  public  opinion,  and  the  stern  rebuke 
by  the  executive  government,  had,  in  a  great  measure,  suppressed 
the  immediate  danger  of  nullification.  As  far  as  we  see  the 
results  of  the  legislation  of  South  Carolina,  her  laws  limp  far 
behind  her  ordinance.  For  aught  that  appears,  nothing  will 
interrupt  the  ordinary  collection  of  duties,  after  February  1, 
unless  some  individual  chooses  to  try  the  nullifying  remedy.  If 
any  importer  should  suffer  a  seizure  to  be  made,  and  should  en 
deavor  to  replevy,  under  the  State  process,  the  collector  would 
probably  not  deliver  up  the  goods  to  the  sheriff;  nor  suffer  his 
own  goods  to  be  taken  in  withernam.  This,  probably,  would 
bring  on  a  trial  of  strength. 

But  our  more  imminent  danger  in  my  opinion  is,  that,  seizing 
on  the  occasion,  the  anti-tariff  party  will  prostrate  the  whole 
tariff  system.  You  will  have  seen  the  bill,  reported  by  Mr. 
Verplanck.  Great  and  extraordinary  efforts  are  put  forth,  to 
push  that  bill  rapidly  through  Congress.  It  is  likely  to  be  finally 
acted  upon,  at  least  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  before  the 
country  can  be  made  to  look  on  it,  in  its  true  character.  On 
the  other  hand,  our  friends  will  resist  it,  of  course,  and  hold  on 
to  the  last.  A  vigorous  opposition  will  at  least,  it  may  be 


DANIEL  WEBSTER.  529 

hoped,  be  made,  and,  as  I  believe,  produce  the  necessity,  on  the 
part  of  the  supporters  of  the  measure,  to  make  some  beneficial 
amendments  in  it,  before  even  it  can  get  through  the  House  of 
Representatives. 

Under  these  circumstances,  it  seems  to  me  it  would  be 
extremely  useful  that  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts  should 
express  its  temperate  but  firm  opinion,  first,  against  the  doctrine 
of  nullification ;  secondly,  on  the  violation  of  the  public  faith, 
which  would  be  perpetrated  by  this  thorough  and  sudden  pros 
tration  of  the  protective  system. 

On  this  ground  of  vested  interest,  we  can  make,  if  well  sus 
tained  at  home,  the  most  efficient  stand  against  the  threatened 
ruin.  We  mean  to  occupy  this  ground,  and  to  make  the  most 
of  it. 

If  the  bill  were  now  in  the  Senate,  it  would  not  pass ;  but 
how  far  individuals  may  be  brought  over  by  party  discipline,  in 
the  drill  of  a  month,  it  is  impossible  to  say. 

I  do  not  believe  the  President  himself  wishes  the  bill  to  pass. 
E  contra,  I  fancy  he  would  prefer  the  undivided  honor  of  sup 
pressing  nullification,  now,  and  to  take  his  own  time,  hereafter, 
to  remodel  the  tariff.  But  the  party  push  on,  fearing  the  effect 
of  the  doctrines  of  the  proclamation,  and  endeavoring  to  inter 
pose,  and  to  save  Carolina,  not  by  the  proclamation,  but  by 
taking  away  the  ground  of  complaint. 

But  against  this,  again,  there  is  some  degree  of  under  cur 
rent;  because  there  are  some  who  think  that,  surrendering 
the  tariff  to  the  menaces  of  nullification,  would  be  voting  a 
triumph  to  Mr.  Calhoun,  at  the  expense  of  Mr.  Van  Buren's 
expectations,  &c. 

I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you,  and  other  friends  ;  especially 
if  you  can  give  me  any  good  advice. 

Yours,  ever  truly, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


VOL.  i.  45 


530  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    CHIEF    JUSTICE    LIVERMORE. 

Washington,  January  5,  1833. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — Your  letter  of  December  29  is  received,  and 
has  given  me  pleasure.  I  regard  you,  my  dear  Sir,  not  only  as 
an  acquaintance  of  many  years'  standing,  but  also  as  one  whose 
countenance  and  kindness  were  important  to  me  in  youth.  I 
shall  be  sure  to  send  you  any  thing  which  I  may  think  you 
would  like  to  receive,  and  I  beg  of  you  not  to  take  the  trouble 
to  acknowledge  receipts.  It  will  be  quite  enough  that  I  under 
stand  generally  that  such  communications  are  welcome. 

The  impression  here  to-day,  seems  to  be  that  nullification 
has  assumed  a  less  threatening  aspect.  At  least  the  danger  of 
immediate  collision  appears  less.  The  act,  passed  by  the  legis 
lature  of  South  Carolina,  to  carry  the  ordinance  into  effect,  does 
not  come  up  to  the  ordinance.  It  may  happen  that,  notwith 
standing  the  ordinance  and  the  act,  things  may  go  on  much  as 
they  have  done. 

Nothing  is  more  uncertain  than  the  fate  of  the  new  tariff  bill. 
It  wiU  pass  the  House,  if  the  President  desires  it;  but  that  is 
doubtful.  If  it  were  now  in  the  Senate,  it  would  be  postponed 
from  an  indisposition  to  act  again  on  that  subject  so  soon ;  but 
I  do  not  know  what  will  be  done  with  it,  should  it  come  to  us 
a  month  hence. 

It  is  sometimes  said  that,  in  so  changing  a  world,  if  people 
will  but  stand  still,  others  sooner  or  later  will  come  to  them. 
Were  you  not  struck  with  this  truth,  in  seeing  the  proclamation  ? 
I  am,  dear  Sir,  with  constant  regard, 

Yours, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    DUTTON. 


Washington,  January  15,  1833. 

WE  have  little  news,  politically.     In  a  day  or  two,  the  Presi 
dent  is  to  send  us  a  communication  about  nullification.     It  will 


DANIEL   V/EBSTER.  531 

probably  bring  on  some  debates.  The  House  of  Representatives 
seems  to  be  pressing  on  the  new  tariff  bill ;  but  still  there  are 
suspicions  that  the  bill  will  not  get  through  that  House,  and  this 
impression  now  daily  gains  strength.  Look  at  Mr.  Krebb's  res 
olutions,  in  Pennsylvania.  I  hope  Massachusetts  will  do  some 
thing  in  the  same  way.  Yours  truly, 

D.  WEBSTER. 


MISS    JULIA    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Boston,  March  3,  1833. 

MY  DEAR  FATHER, — I  received  your  beautiful  present  a  few 
days  since,  and  was  very  much  pleased  with  it.  I  think  it  con 
tains  some  very  fine  faces,  and  I  like  the  stories  much  better 
than  those  usually  found  in  "  Souvenirs,"  or  "  Annuals.'  Your 
letter  preceded  it  a  few  days,  and  I  beg  you,  my  dearest  Father, 
to  accept  your  little  daughter's  best  thanks  for  them  both. 

I  am  staying  with  cousin  Eliza,  and  am  passing  my  time 
most  pleasantly.  I  find  it  very  convenient  as  regards  my  school, 
as  I  am  never  late  now,  which  used  sometimes  to  be  the  cast-. 
I  have  not  commenced  any  new  study  since  I  last  wrote  you. 
I  think  I  should  like  to  study  Italian  very  much,  as  I  have  not 
much  to  do. 

I  hope  we  shall  soon  see  you  in  Boston,  as  Congress  has  risen, 
and  we  are  very  anxious  to  see  you  at  home  once  more.  Al 
though  spring  has  in  reality  begun,  you  would  not  imagine  it  to 
be  so  by  the  weather,  which  is  intensely  cold;  the  ground  is 
covered  with  snow,  and  the  thermometer  last  night  was  eleven 
degrees  below  zero.  Fletcher  dined  with  us  yesterday,  it  being 
Saturday.  I  suppose  you  have  heard  he  is  to  have  a  part  at  the 
next  exhibition.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Kirkland  dined  here  to-day ;  the 
latter  had,  as  usual,  a  good  deal  to  say.  I  saw  Edward  yester 
day,  he  was  very  well. 

I  went  on  Wednesday  with  cousin  Eliza  to  hear  a  lecture  on 
hieroglyphics,  delivered  by  Mr.  J.  Pickering.  It  was  very  inter 
esting,  but  he  did  not  tell  us  as  much  upon  the  principal  subject 
as  I  should  have  liked  to  have  heard.  A  considerable  part  of 


532  PRIVATE    CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

it,  was  upon  the  necessity  of  attention,  which    he  addressed 
principally  to  his  younger  hearers. 

I  heard  two  very  good  sermons  to-day  from  Mr.  Greenwood, 
one  of  which  I  shall  make  an  abstract  of,  for  my  composition. 
It  was  upon  the  resignation  of  the  Shunamitjsh  woman,  when 
she  lost  her  only  son.  Cousin  Eliza  says  she  wishes  you  would 
come  home,  for  she  thinks  if  you  were  to,  we  should  not  think 
any  more  of  the  snow  or  the  cold,  for  it  would  make  sunshine 
in  Boston.  She  also  unites  with  me  in  a  great  deal  of  love  to 
you,  and  believe  me  ever,  dear  father, 

Your  affectionate  daughter, 

JULIA  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MISS    JULIA    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  March  9,  1888. 

MY  DEAR  DAUGHTER, — I  have  this  moment  received  your 
letter  of  the  3d  instant.  It  is  so  kind  and  good  a  letter  that  I 
will  not  omit  for  a  moment  to  answer  it,  although  I  am  expect 
ing  a  summons  to  go  directly  into  court.  Notwithstanding  your 
mother's  absence,  I  have  felt  quite  easy  about  you,  since  I 
learned  you  were  to  spend  your  time  at  cousin  Eliza's.  Every 
body  is  happy  where  she  is. 

I  am  quite  glad  to  hear  that  Fletcher  has  a  part  at  exhibition. 
You  do  not  mention  the  time ;  I  fear  it  will  be  before  I  get 
home. 

We  have  the  same  cold  weather  here,  at  least  in  some  degree, 
of  which  you  speak.  The  last  ten  days  have  been  the  severest 
part  of  the  winter.  Some  signs  of  relenting  begin  now  to  ap 
pear. 

I  heard  yesterday  from  your  mother  in  New  York.  I  have 
written  her,  preferring  that  she  should  meet  me  in  Philadelphia, 
as  I  shall  be  obliged  to  stay  there  on  business,  for  a  day  or 
two. 

The  court  will  rise  about  the  fifteenth,  and  by  the  end  of  next 
week,  say  by  the  sixteenth,  I  hope  to  take  leave  of  Wash 
ington. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  533 

I  must  pray  you  to  remember  me  most  kindly  to  Mr.   and 
Mrs.  Lee.     Give  my  love  also  to  Edward,  and  to  uncle  Paige, 
and  aunt  Harriette,  not  forgetting  the  amiable  Miss  Paige. 
Adieu !  my  dear  daughter, 

Ever  your  most  affectionate  father, 

DANIEL  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    TICKNOR. 

Washington,  April  8,  1833. 

MY  DEAR  SIR,—         *  I  have 

read  Tom  Moore's  first  volume  of  Byron's  Life.  Whatever  hu 
man  imagination  shall  hereafter  picture  of  a  human  being,  I  shall 
believe  it  all  within  the  bounds  of  credibility.  Byron's  case  shows 
that  fact  sometimes  runs  by  all  fancy,  as  a  steamboat  passes  a 
scow  at  anchor.  I  have  tried  hard  to  find  something  in  him  to 
like,  besides  his  genius  and  his  wit ;  but  there  was  no  other  like 
able  quality  about  him.  He  was  an  incarnation  of  demonism. 
He  is  the  only  man  in  English  history,  for  a  hundred  years,  that 
has  boasted  of  infidelity  and  of  every  practical  vice,  not  included 
in  what  may  be  termed,  what  his  biographer  does  term,  meanness. 
Lord  Bolingbroke,  in  his  most  extravagant  youthful  sallies,  and 
the  wicked  Lord  Littleton,  were  saints  to  him.  AU  Moore  can 
say  is,  that  each  of  his  vices  had  some  virtue  or  some  prudence 
near  it,  which  in  some  sort  checked  it.  Well,  if  that  were  not  so 
in  all,  who  could  'scape  hanging  ?  The  biographer,  indeed,  says 
his  moral  conduct  must  not  be  judged  of  by  the  ordinary  stand 
ard!  And  that  is  true,  if  a  favorable  decision  is  looked  for. 
Many  excellent  reasons  are  given  for  his  being  a  bad  husband ; 
the  sum  of  which  is,  that  he  was  a  very  bad  man.  I  confess  I 
was  rejoiced  then,  and  am  rejoiced  now,  that  he  was  driven  out 
of  England  by  public  scorn ;  because  his  vices  were  not  in  his 
passions,  but  in  his  principles.  He  denied  all  religion  and  all 
virtue  from  the  house-top.  Dr.  Johnson  says,  there  is  merit  in 
maintaining  good  principles,  though  the  preacher  is  seduced  into 
violations  of  them.  This  is  true.  Good  theory  is  something. 
But  a  theory  of  living,  and  of  dying  too,  made  up  of  the  ele 
ments  of  hatred  to  religion,  contempt  of  morals,  and  defiance  of 
the  opinion  of  all  the  decent  part  of  the  public,  when  before  has 
a  man  of  letters  avowed  it  ?  If  Milton  were  alive  to  recast  cer- 
45* 


534  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE   OF 

tain  prominent  characters  in  his  great  Epic,  he  could  embellish 
them  with  new  traits,  without  violating  probability.  Walter 
Scott's  letter  toward  the  end  of  the  book,  is  much  too  charitable. 
I  find  in  one  of  Lord  Byron's  letters  a  suggestion,  that  part, 
or  the  whole  of  Robinson  Crusoe  was  written  while  in  prison, 
by  the  first  Lord  Orford,  (Robert  Harley,)  and  by  him  given  to 
Defoe.  Is  there  any  such  suggestion  anywhere  else  ?  I  do  not 
believe  it.  Defoe's  (his  true  name  was  Foe)  other  works  show 
he  could  write  Robinson  Crusoe.  Harley  has  left  no  proof  of 
his  capacity  for  such  a  work.  While  on  the  subject  of  books, 
whither  I  have  strayed,  I  know  not  how,  allow  me  to  say  there 
is  one  I  want  to  see.  It  is  Johnson's  Shakespeare.  I  covet  a 
sight  of  that  book,  just  as  Sam.  Johnson  left  it.  His  first  edition 
was  about  1765  or  1766.  Did  he  publish  a  second  ?  You  are 
not  only  a  man  for  books  in  general,  but  for  Shakespeare  in 
particular,  and  can  tell  me.  If  you  have  the  book,  I  shall  get  a 
reading  of  it ;  if  you  have  it  not,  I  wish  you  would  order  it  on 
my  account,  the  next  time  you  write  Mr.  Rich.  I  suppose  the 
first  edition  was  folio,  but  know  not. 

******* 

I  shall  make  no  more  speeches.  What  I  have  done,  even, 
was  not  with  malice  prepense.  Make  our  best  regards  to  Mrs. 
Tick  nor,  and  believe  me  always  truly, 

Yours,  D.  WEBSTER. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    PERRY. 

Boston,  April  10,  1833. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  was  gratified  by  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of 
the  1st  of  this  month,  and  thank  you  for  the  favorable  and  friendly 
sentiments  which  you  express  in  regard  to  an  effort  of  mine,  at  the 
late  session  of  Congress,  in  a  cause  which  I  deemed  all-impor 
tant  to  the  country,  and  to  which  I  had  already  learned  you  were 
as  much  devoted  as  myself.  I  am  not  at  all  surprised,  my  dear 
Sir,  at  the  opinions  you  express,  as  to  the  ultimate  object  of  those 
who  have  raised  the  flag  of  nullification.  Circumstances,  full  of 
meaning,  attracted  my  attention  to  it  early ;  and  in  December, 
1828, 1  became  thoroughly  convinced  that  the  plan  of  a  southern 
confederacy  had  been  received  with  favor,  by  a  great  many  of 
the  political  men  of  the  South,  especially  of  your  State. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  535 

I  agree  with  you  also  entirely  in  the  opinion  that  the  danger 
is  not  over.  A  systematic  and  bold  attack,  now  but  just  begun, 
will  be  carried  on,  I  apprehend,  against  the  just  and  constitu 
tional  powers  of  the  government,  and  against  whatsoever 
strengthens  the  Union  of  the  States. 

For  rny  own  part  I  look  forward  to  an  animated  controversy 
on  these  points,  for  years  to  come ;  and  if  we  can  sustain  our 
side  of  the  controversy,  my  dear  Sir,  with  success,  as  I  hope  and 
believe  we  may,  we  shall  transmit  to  posterity  an  inheritance 
above  all  price. 

1  do  not  apprehend  any  further  difficulty  with  Georgia. 
There  was  not  the  slightest  reference  to  the  Georgia  case,  in 
my  mind,  or  ever,  as  far  as  I  know,  in  that  of  any  other  gentle 
man,  in  preparing  and  passing  the  bill  for  the  better  collection 
of  the  revenue.  It  is  true  that  some  of  the  provisions  of  the 
bill  ought,  in  my  judgment,  to  be  permanent.  If  they  had 
previously  existed,  the  idea  of  putting  the  doctrines  of  nullifi 
cation  in  practice,  in  the  mode  recently  adopted  at  least,  would 
probably  not  have  been  entertained.  I  have  expected  what  I 
see  now  publicly  announced,  that  the  effort  will  be  to  repeal 
this  law,  so  soon  as  Congress  shall  assemble. 

It  is  probably  expected  that  since  the  occasion  has  passed  by 
many  will  be  willing  to  repeal  the  law,  although  they  were  in 
favor  of  its  passage  at  the  time ;  and  it  is  hoped  that,  by  the 
repeal  of  this  act,  it  may  be  considered  as  decided,  that  Congress 
is  hereafter  to  take  no  step  to  execute  any  laws  which  are 
resisted  by  State  authority. 

The  high  regard  I  feel  for  the  patriotic  gentlemen  with  whom 
you  act  in  your  own  State,  and  the  respect  which  I  have  been 
led  to  entertain  for  yourself,  induces  me,  my  dear  Sir,  to  express 
a  wish  to  hear  from  you,  on  the  interesting  subjects  which  at 
present  occupy  the  public  attention,  whenever  your  convenience 
may  allow. 

With  friendly  salutations,  I  remain  your  obedient  servant, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


536  PRIVATE  CORRESPONDENCE  OF 


MR.    CAS8    TO    MR.    WEBSTER. 

Washington,  April  17,  1833. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  just  received  your  kind  letter,  and 
sincerely  thank  you  for  your  recollection  of  me.  I  think  the 
President  will  visit  New  England  this  season ;  if  he  does,  he 
will  leave  here  about  the  first  of  May,  and  he  is  desirous  that  .1 
should  accompany  him.  I  shall  accordingly  do  so ;  and  I 
presume  we  shall  be  in  Boston  not  far  from  the  20th  of  June. 
I  cannot  ask  you  to  postpone  your  intended  journey  till  after 
this  time,  as  it  might  expose  you  to  much  inconvenience.  Still, 
I  will  confess  to  you,  that  the  hope  of  meeting  you  and  of  revis 
iting  with  you  the  scenes  and  friends  of  our  youth,  has  dwelt 
upon  my  mind,  since  we  first  conversed  together  on  the  subject. 
Nothing  could  give  me  greater  pleasure  than  such  an  occasion ; 
and  if  more  pressing  engagements  should  require  your  absence, 
at  the  time  I  have  mentioned,  I  shall  still  look  forward  at  a 
future  day  to  realize  this  hope. 

With  sincere  regard,  I  am,  my  dear  Sir,  truly  your  friend, 

LEWIS  CASS. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    CASS. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  17th  instant. 
A  journey  to  the  West  has  long  been  in  contemplation  by  me, 
but  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  accomplish  it.  Every  other 
year  the  session  of  Congress  has  been  so  far  protracted  as  to  for 
bid  the  undertaking  for  that  season,  and  professional  duties  have 
allowed  me  no  leisure,  hitherto,  in  the  intervening  years.  In 
addition  to  these  causes,  the  political  state  of  things  has,  for 
some  time  been  such,  that  the  motive  and  objects  of  such  a  tour 
would  have  been  very  likely  to  be  misinterpreted  and  mis 
understood. 

In  this  last  respect,  the  present  moment  seems  favorable ;  and  as 
I  have  found  myself  able  to  make  the  necessary  arrangements 
with  my  professional  engagements,  I  have  thought  it  not  well 
to  defer,  longer,  the  execution  of  that  which  has  been  already  a 
good  while  postponed. 


DANIEL   WEBSTER.  537 

Nevertheless,  I  am  very  unwilling  to  miss  your  visit  to  New 
England ;  and  although  I  might  even  make  that  sacrifice  in  the 
hope  that  you  would,  as  you  suggest,  hereafter  repeat  your  visit, 
I  still  feel  great  reluctance  in  being  from  home,  when  the  Presi 
dent  comes  to  Massachusetts.  In  the  first  place,  it  would  give 
me  pleasure  to  see  him,  and  to  extend  to  him  and  his  party  the 
hospitalities  of  my  house,  as  well  as  to  unite  with  my  friends 
and  neighbors  in  such  manifestations  of  respect  as  are  due  to 
him.  And  in  the  next  place,  my  absence  on  such  an  occasion, 
when  it  was  known  that  a  visit  from  him  to  this  part  of  the 
country  was  intended,  may  be  liable  to  much  misconstruction. 

I  am  inclined,  therefore,  at  all  events,  to  be  at  home  by  the 
time  the  President  reaches  Boston.  My  plan  has  been  to  return 
by  the  first  of  July,  if  I  shall  not  be  able  to  accomplish  all  I  in 
tend,  and  return  earlier  than  that  day.  But  under  present  cir 
cumstances,  I  shall  abridge  the  extent  of  my  travels,  so  as  to  be 
able  to  return  to  Boston  by  the  20th  of  June. 

D.  W. 


MR.    WEBSTER    TO    MR.    WILLIAM    SULLIVAN. 

Friday,  April  19,  1833. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — I  must  thank  you  for  your  kind  and  friendly 
note  of  the  15th.  I  have  passed  an  arduous  winter,  but  am 
richly  repaid  for  all  my  labors,  if  those,  whose  esteem  I  value, 
think  I  have  done  any  thing  for  the  good  of  the  country.  All 
things  have  not  happened  as  I  could  wish ;  but  on  the  whole,  I 
think  the  events  of  the  winter  have  tended  to  strengthen  the 
union  of  the  States,  and  to  uphold  the  government.  But  it  has 
many  and  powerful  enemies,  not  easily  subdued,  and  never  to 
be  reconciled. 

Your  prophecies,  or  hopes,  for  certain  future  events,  are  a 
good  deal  influenced,  I  suspect,  by  your  private  friendship.  I  do 
not  indulge  in  any  expectations  ;  nevertheless,  I  thank  you  for 
all  your  favorable  sentiments  and  kind  wishes.  We  must  one 
day,  a  warm  one,  take  a  walk  round  the  Common,  and  talk 
over  matters. 

Yours,  always  truly, 

DAN'L  WEBSTER. 


538  PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE   OF 


DANIEL    WEBSTER    TO    FLETCHER    WEBSTER. 

Steubenvillo,  July  1,  1833. 

MY  DEAR  SON, — I  am  at  last  arrived  at  the  borders  of  Ohio, 
though,  it  is  true,  at  a  very  late  period.  I  have  found  it  abso 
lutely  impossible  to  get  on  further,  without  giving  offence.  I 
cross  the  river  this  morning,  go  down  to  Wheeling,  stay  there  a 
part  of  to-morrow,  and  then  go  East.  My  purpose  is  to  get  to 
New  York  as  soon  as  possible.  If  it  be  within  the  reach  of 
possibility,  I  will  be  home  before  July  15,  so  as  to  hear  your 
oration.  At  present  there  is  no  doubt  of  it,  provided  I  find 
your  mother  at  New  York. 

I  pray  you,  spare  no  pains  in  regard  to  that  effort.  Con 
sider  how  much  depends  on  it,  and  how  much  you  owe  to 
those  who  elected  you.  Make  it  long ;  you  will  be  likely  to 
err  on  the  other  extreme.  Do  not  omit  a  few  flowers  and  flour 
ishes  ;  they  become  young  orators.  Let  not  your  taste  be  too 
severe.  Above  all  things,  be  sure  to  have  it  perfectly  commit 
ted,  and  rehearse  and  practise  it  till  you  feel  that  you  can 
deliver  it  perfectly  well. 

My  health  is  entirely  good,  but  I  long  to  get  home.  Give 
my  love  to  Uncle's  and  Mr.  A's  family.  It  is  a  long  time  since 
I  heard  from  Boston,  or  from  mother  and  Julia. 

Your  affectionate  father, 

•  D.  WEBSTER. 


DANIEL   AVEBSTER.  539 

FRAGMENT    OF    A   JOURNAL    OF    MR.    WEBSTER. 

(UNFINISHED.) 

Tuesday,  May  28. 

ARRIVED  at  Avon,  evening  of  27th.  On  28th  A.  M.  visited  Mr. 
E.  Le  Roy's  farm;  it  lies  on  the  Genesee  River,  north  of  the 
road,  leading  from  Avon  Bridge,  and  consists  of  eighteen  hun 
dred  acres.  The  land  is  of  three  characters.  1.  Flats.  This  is 
purely  alluvial,  low,  and  level  It  is  subject  to  be  overflowed. 
When  the  country  was  settled,  much  of  it  was  prairie.  It  has 
great  depth  of  loose  soil,  vegetable  mould,  and  other  deposits. 
On  the  bank  of  the  river,  where  the  roots  of  trees  are  exposed, 
they  are  near  six,  eight,  or  ten  feet  from  the  surface.  The  trees 
still  remaining  are  fine,  especially  elm  and  white  oak,  some  of 
them  very  large.  The  land  is  adapted  to  grazing,  but  uncertain 
for  wheat.  In  very  dry  seasons,  wheat  has  succeeded  on  it. 
2.  The  hazel  flat.  This  is  a  table  of  land  rather  higher  than 
the  last  mentioned.  It  is  flat,  well  covered  with  wood,  un 
doubtedly,  I  think,  alluvial,  but  an  earlier  formation.  It  is  not 
usually  overflowed,  and  is,  perhaps,  more  valuable  than  the 
lower  flats,  as  adapted  to  wheat,  as  well  as  grazing.  3.  Up 
land.  This  seems  a  peculiar  soil.  It  is  full  of  small  stones,  and 
the  ground  covered  with  a  growth  of  oaks,  of  no  great  size. 
To  the  eye,  it  does  not  seem  to  be  extraordinary  land ;  but  its 
fertility  is  very  great,  especially  for  wheat  and  clover.  When 
ploughed,  little  pebbles,  stones,  as  they  would  seem,  are  turned 
up  in  great  plenty ;  but  these  crumble  or  dissolve  by  exposure 
to  the  air,  and  seem  to  be  marl  or  a  mixture  of  lime  and  clay, 
or  some  such  thing,  which  I  do  not  exactly  know  about.  This 
land  grows  better  by  cultivation.  It  will  yield  two  crops  of 
wheat,  then  one  of  clover,  then  one  year  pasturage,  and  then 
wheat  again,  all  without  manure.  The  only  rotation  seems  to 
be,  from  wheat  to  pasturage,  sometimes  cropping  with  the 
scythe,  the  first  after  wheat. 

The  lands  up  and  down  the  river  seem  much  like  Mr.  Le 
Roy's.  I  saw  no  difference  between  his  flats  and  those  at 
Geneseo.  The  highland,  or  upland,  near  Geneseo,  was  higher, 
and  seemed  to  have  a  heavier  original  upland  growth. 

Mr.  Le  Roy  cuts,  on  his  lower  flats,  two  hundred  or  two  him- 


540   PRIVATE   CORRESPONDENCE  OF  DANIEL  WEBSTER. 

dred  and  fifty  tons  of  hay.  This  is  housed  in  small  barns  or  bar 
racks,  standing  round  on  the  flats,  and  is  fed  out,  thence,  to  the 
cattle.  The  cattle  lie  on  the  meadows  through  the  winter,  ex 
cept  working  oxen,  milch  cows,  &c.,  and  so  do  the  sheep.  Mr. 
Le  Roy  winters  one  huijdred,or  one  hundred  and  fifty  head  of 
cattle,  and  feeds  out  to  them  two  tons  of  hay  a  day.  This  is 
carried  and  spread  over  the  field,  by  a  sled,  or  wagon,  so  that 
the  growth  of  the  flats  is  consumed  on  them.  These  flats  are 
sometimes  ploughed,  but  some  of  them  have  not  been  ploughed 
for  forty  years,  and  yet  -bear  good  grass.  The  feed  is  abundant. 


END    OF    VOLUME    I. 


"/•  s 


THE  LIBRARY 
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